Capabilities
by Nights Child
Summary: A SetoYami fic. Seto Kaiba is haunted by memories of his past, and the darkness that was banished in the first series. When Yami desperately tries to show Kaiba how much he loves him, he unintentionally forces him into something he is too fragile to take.
1. Nightmares

Chapter One - Nightmares

This was to be a joint fanfic, but my co-writer has abandoned the plot to me, and I thought Woot. So, I'm gonna dedicate the next chapter of this to her, if the first one does ok, ok?

Right, now, you have to let me know how I'm going with this, which is why there is the little purple at the bottom of the page. /smiles and hands out cookies to reviewers/ yep, bribery is the way.

Disclaimer: when pigs soar through the sky, when my math's teacher stops believing in homework, when Seto Kaiba himself shows up on my doorstep, I'll own YuGiOh.

Warning: Yaoi ahead. Its only a bit, but if its not for you, bugger off. I don't need homophobes or anything like that flaming my rear end. So, if you don't like any guy on guy stuff, hit your back space button. This will probably be the only part of the story though, that has any lemony stuff. Ok, lime stuff, I've been told this ain't exactly citrus worthy. The rest is all tasteful. I hope.

---

"Seth, Ra, Seth!"

Moans and gasps filled the rose scented chamber, as lover and lover entwined their limbs and lips in a clash of passion.

Lips met and parted as tongues met, and the limbs of one moved in perfect synchronicity with those of the other, each appearing as the perfect being of the other. Being and being. Lover and lover.

Pharaoh and High Priest.

"Yami..."

I looked down at Seth, my gorgeous high priest and love. He was so beautiful, so perfect. His chocolate brown bangs hung down in his face, matted with sweat. His smooth and flawless face etched with an intense look of lust.

His eyes, a cerulean blue and clouded with passion, rose to meet my own, and the desire to claim him over took me.

I pressed my lips to his desperately, and he responded to my silent plea, his tongue pushing past my defense and into my mouth.

My hands dropped from his chest to his thighs, working their way in, and he rose into my chest.

I broke our kiss and smiled, at which point he gasped as my hands found him perfectly, stroking the taught skin.

I moved down, straddling his hips and running my hands across his chest, then entered.

Seth moaned, both in pain and pleasure, and I continued, thrusting into him slowly, but increasing my speed.

The sounds and moans of the high priest set alarms off in my brain, and I grinned sadistically when he finally screamed my name.

I angled in for a point I knew would drive the priest to release, when the faint traces of a whimper met my ears.

In my current state of mind, I ignored it, and thrust in hard.

A scream tore itself from the lips of my love and I released.

Panting, breathless, and thoroughly pleased, I gently pulled out of Seth and collapsed onto his chest.

"Yami..."

I heard the whimper of my name, and this time looked up.

In an instant, my heart came to a painful stop, my mind shattered and my blood ran cold, as I gazed into the pain and tear filled gaze of Seto Kaiba.

---

Seto bolted upright, drenched in sweat.

"YAMI!"

His call ripped through the silent interior of his bedroom, but there was no response.

His eyes darted around the room before falling to his side. Sweat fell from his forehead, as he gazed at the empty space beside him.

Yami.

The dream had been so vivid, so real. But was it really a dream? It had felt more like a nightmare.

He shook his head in an attempt to rid it of the images that had begun to bombard his mind.

He felt violated, and he had sworn he wouldn't let himself feel that again.

Anger and shame swelled within him.

Gozubaru.

That bastard of an adoptive father still haunted his thoughts and memories closely, when he thought of what could have been with him and Mokuba.

But why Yami?

Normally, nightmares like that were of his past, but this time, Gozubaru had become Yami.

The thought sent shivers down his spine and he felt ill.

He rose from the bed and headed for his bathroom. His eyes grazed over his clock on the way. 4:00 am.

He sighed again as he stepped into the bathroom and reached for the shower door.

He had to wash this away. He felt dirty, and he despised the sadly familiar feeling.

Pulling off his pajama shirt and pants, he stepped into the freezing cold.

He let the water caress his skin, slipping across his shoulders and trailing down his back.

Why Yami?

Why the Pharaoh, his long time rival, his only worthy opponent?

The thoughts fired around his mind, mixing with the images already playing there.

He gently washed away the aches in his shoulders, and brought his head beneath the steady stream of water.

His chocolate bangs matted against his forehead instantly, and he pulled the wet strands from his eyes. He closed his eyes and tilted his forehead upwards, letting the water smooth itself over his face while the drops hit his sensitive eyelids.

What was today? He made a mental note that he should find out when he got out of the shower.

He reached for the shampoo, squeezed the thick substance into his hands, and slowly began to massage it into his hair and scalp. The sweet smell of Geranium filled his nostrils.

He let the water wash it from his head and he reached for the tap handle. Turning it slowly, the water ebbed away, until it finally stopped.

He reached for his bath robe, and pulled it on around himself, shielding his body from the morning cold, though he had just taken a freezing shower.

Slowly treading his way back to his room he flicked his calendar a glance. He stopped, and a smile graced his face.

Mokuba had made this calendar for him this year. In it, he had put pictures of duel monsters, himself, Yami and his gang, and then the few shots there were of both of them together.

This month's picture was of Mokuba and him. They were locked in one of Mokubas hugs, where the young child clung to his waist and he had his arm on his shoulder. Mokuba had a huge smile on his face, while he had a small smile, the one that only graced his face when his brother was around.

Mokuba looked so innocent.

Innocence. He was glad that he had saved Mokubas, even if he had had to give his own for it. His heart clenched painfully. He loved his brother dearly, and no matter what had happened, he would endure it all again.

He hoped. He hoped he could do it again.

Seto frowned. Oh no. Today was Friday. Tomorrow was Saturday.

Tomorrow was Mokubas Birthday.

Now Seto loved his brother more than any other thing on this earth, but was far from loving the things he did, or the people he liked.

He had agreed, as part of Mokubas 'Birthday Present', that he could have over his group of friends.

These of which now included Yugi, Jou, Honda, Anzu, Mai, Shizuka, Otogi, Bakura, Ryou, Marik, Malik, and Yami.

His stomach flipped in his chest instantly on the thought of Yami, while an irritating little voice piped up that Mokuba, in his short life, had more friends than Seto had had in his entire life. This could also include Setos future too. But he shoved the voice away, as more thoughts of the crimson eyed teen flew through his mind.

The rest he felt he could deal with for some decent amount of time, despite the fact that he would rather see Joey tied to a pole by a collar, or the fact that Bakura and Marik were likely to burn down his house (he still didn't know how Mokuba had come to like them, but he had). He would rather that right now then to face his most recent nightmare.

Better get used to it, that cruel voice in his head whispered, cause you are going to see him everyday for the next three days, starting at around 9:00 am.

Seto mentally began to bash the new little voice, but couldn't help but come to the conclusion the stupid voice was right.

He sighed. Again.

Walking to his closet, he pulled out his school clothes that he then proceeded to pull onto himself, after he made sure he was dry.

Today was going to be one of those days. You know the ones; where you wish you could carry around a big microphone, and scream out to the world 'RACK OFF!'

---

What ya think? Good? I certainly hope so. If not, Ill remove it. Don't need crap clogging my box.

Okies, pwease review the doubtful authoress.


	2. The Gang

So, next chapter. Yep, this will be much more humorous... I hope. Or maybe it will prove I have a poor definition of what funny is. Meh, either way, here you go.

-Yami thoughts-

/Yugi thoughts/

Disclaimer: Its not mine. Rack Off.

Chapter Two – The Gang

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Yamis pov

---

"Are you sure Yami? I mean, I've never seen you wake up so upset."

Yami looked down at his light and couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt in his chest. Yugi was looking up at him with his big innocent eyes, each one riddled with concern for him, violet pools of raw emotion.

Yami had woken up last night in a sweat, after crying something out that Yugi had thankfully missed.

Yami smiled, in an effort to comfort his light.

"It's alright really Yugi, it was just a nightmare, and I think I ate too much last night."

He opted for one of Jou's normal excuses, hoping he wouldn't notice, but his shinning orbs still held the smallest traces of worry.

"Come on Yugi, or we'll be late."

Yugi instantly perked. Thank Ra.

"Remember what we are doing tonight!?"

"Yami!" Yugi scolded.

Yami offered a smile for an apology, and closed his eyes to think. Tonight, tonight? Bing bing bing BING! Mokubas Birthday party!

His eyes shot open and looked down at Yugi who smiled again.

"Mokubas birthday party."

"Yep!" Yugi squeaked, obviously trying hard not to let out a squeal of excitement.

"Are you excited? We are going to spend the weekend with Mokuba in his billionaire mansion! With everyone else too!!"

Yugi visibly shook with the excitement that was coursing through him.

Yami sighed and shook his head in amusement. His eyes flicked to the clock and he swallowed.

Latching onto Yugis coat, he proceeded to drag him toward the front door of the game shop, slinging his own bag on his shoulder on the way.

"Yami? What are you doing? We still have ages, what's your problem?"

"Come on Yugi!" Yami said, trying to stress the urgency in his voice.

'Almost there, almost out that damn door.'

"But Yami!" Yugi whined from his grasp, "we have to wait fo-"

"Crap!" he swore. Too late.

AN;(now we have an abrupt change of view, sorry bout that.)

Yugi twisted around in my hold so he was facing the door, and smiled at Anzu.

Anzu pushed through the door, while Yugi broke free of my hand and greeted her with enough warmth I thought I was going to be violently ill.

I, meanwhile, forced a smile and let the honey sweet words Yugi had promised me to say, drip from my lips. Of course, I now detest honey.

"Good morning Anzu, how are you?"

Anzu turned from Yugi and beamed at me. I felt my eyes water in pain.

She approached with a huge smile on her face, and took hold of my arm. 'Argh! It burns!'

"Fine thanks Yami, I'm glad you asked though. What about you?"

She batted her eyelashes at me, and a mantra appeared in my head. 'I will not maim or disfigure, I will not maim or disfigure.'

"I'm fine Anzu."

My eyes flicked to Yugi in a pleading manner that went right over Anzus head, but he just smiled sweetly and headed for the door.

I sighed. Okay, it wasn't that bad. 'Maybe I'll get hit by a car on the way to school.'

"We'd better get going Yami," Anzu purred at me while raking her eyes over my body. 'Are semi trailers driving this early of a morning?'

-Ra damn you Yugi!-

/Be nice Yami/ Yugi mentally warned me.

-Nice? NICE?! This is beyond _nice_! This is plain and simple cruelty!-

/Oh come on, she's not that bad/

-I'm losing feeling in my arm-

Yugi turned and smirked at me. Smirked? Yugi?

-Why are you _smirking_?-

/Cause you are attached to Anzu. Thanks to me/

-WHAT!?-

I tore my arm from Anzu's grasp and leapt at Yugi, who let out a muffled scream and took off out the door and down the street. I heard Anzu calling out to us while she tried in vain to catch up, but now, both of us ignored her.

"You better watch out Yugi, cause if I catch you, you'll be spending tonight in the shadow realm!" I cried out to him, as I got closer and closer.

Yugi let out a squeak and spun around a corner. I tore after him, only to ram head first into some ones chest, my hair lightly cushioning the blow.

I stepped back, rubbing my head and unconsciously straightening the mass of spikes, before I looked up.

"Not harming your light I hope Yami."

I growled. Yugi was now hiding behind, the slightly taller than me, Otogi.

"Your lucky Yugi."

Yugi smiled at me from behind Otogi, and I scowled. Otogi glanced from me, to Yugi, and then the slowly approaching Anzu.

"What has Yugi done that's made you look like Bakura on heat?"

Had I not already been absolutely revolted, the thought of the horny Tomb Robber would have left me stomach less. As it was, I didn't even notice the remark.

"He's trying to set Anzu up with me," I snarled.

Otogi looked repulsed. "Then don't worry Yami," he grinned evilly, "I'll take care of Yugi."

He spun round and grabbed Yugi before slinging him up onto his shoulder. Yugi squeaked, while I couldn't help but smile.

They were so cute together.

Anzu came up beside me and I was thankful, Ra was I thankful, that she hadn't decided to re-attach herself.

We fell in tow behind Otogi, who still had Yugi over his shoulder. Yugi was busy whining at him to put him down.

"Not until we get to school."

"What? Why? Put me down dicey boy!"

Yugi knew that Joeys nickname got to Otogi, but the thing about that was that Otogi thought Yugi was cute when he said it. I had conveniently forgotten to mention that to Yugi.

We turned the next corner and were greeted by the rather pale and unfortunately familiar sight of the school building. Ugh.

"Yami!"

My eyes flicked to where Otogi had decided to dump Yugi, and I started laughing.

Tears of mirth filled my eyes as I took in Yugi, clinging to the branch above and beneath him with his legs and arms, and begging Otogi to let him down.

Otogi was busy "re-educating" Yugi, as quietly as possible, about the 'she-devil.'

"Yugi, you have to understand. She's a crime against the laws of all things possible. Its like they say, there are fouler things than orcs in the deep places of the world."

At my laughter however, Yugi shot me a Yugi glare. The one that says I'm-very-angry-at-you-but-will-forgive-you.

Later.

I shrugged at him.

"After this morning, you deserve it."

"I thought Yamis were meant to protect their hikaris!"

I snorted. "Like your endanger with Otogi!"

At this Otogi shot me a glare, and rose his arms to Yugi who gladly relinquished his hold on the branches to slide into them, coming to a gentle rest with his lips to Otogis'.

"Now isn't that cute."

The biting sarcasm cut through the long kiss, and all three turned to see Bakura and Ryou striding up. Well, Ryou didn't stride as much as he jogged to keep up with his dark.

"Morning Tomb Robber, I see you made it to school without endangering your life or your hikaris, so what did you do? Walk underneath the highway bridge this time?"

"Shuddup Pharaoh, I didn't ask for your opinion."

"No, but I still felt like giving it to you."

Bakura growled deep in his throat, but was soothed by Ryou who wrapped a slender arm around his torso. Bakura instantly calmed, and turned back to Yugi and Otogi.

"So what has brought about this little kiss fest?"

"Long story. It involves Yugi, Yami, Anzu, and makes my stomach churn," Otogi rallied off.

"Ahhh, so you took my advice Yugi," Bakura said with a smirk in Yamis direction.

My mouth dropped open.

"You put him up to it!?" I crowed. "Say good-bye to Ryou, Bakura, and hello to the shadow realm," I snarled, snapping out my arm, aiming directly for Bakura. "SHADOW R-Ryou!! Get out of the way!"

Ryou now stood in front of Bakura, and Bakura thankfully draped his arms around Ryous waist, sheltering slightly behind the shorter boy.

Ryou smiled at me. "Sorry Yami, but you have all weekend for this, can't you give it a rest now?"

I sighed. "You actually think he'll last the weekend?"

I was ignored. I never seemed to get anything I wanted these days. No matter what it was.

Or who...

"Fine, but come tomorrow morning, watch your back tomb robber." I growled.

"Yeah yeah pharaoh," he said, waving me off, and turning towards the carpark.

It was then that I felt the extra shadow magick pull up. Suppressing the urge to just disappear into the millenium puzzle, as I was most prone to doing these days, I sighed and headed after Bakura and the others.

Malik and Marik were conversing quietly with each other when the group pulled up beside them. Both turned and smirked at us.

"Well, aren't we in luck Malik? Seems we have attracted a large group of people to us. Now I don't have to go looking for a large group of people to kill."

Bakura smirked at this.

Homicidal maniacs. They can't be remotely close to normal? They can't for a second have the attitudes of their hikaris? No. They have to be permanent nutcases, their lights always needing me to come and sort them out when they decide to go out for a killing spree. Not that I blame them. It takes all my self control not to just diss the pharaoh title and walk around shooting all the people that piss me off. There are plenty of them out there. Like the other day, this guy just couldn't get over my hair, so i..

"Anyway, what have we done to deserve this little... gathering?"

Yugi stepped up to them, not even coming close to any of there heights despite the fact that he remained on the curb.

"Aren't you guys excited about tonight?"

Ryou perked. "I am Yugi! I can't wait to see Mokuba and his place!"

Bakura and Marik just gave each other side ways glances, smirking evilly. Sigh. Note to self: remember deck.

Marik turned to address all of us. "Yeah, can't wait to see how many monsters just one room in his house can hold."

Duel deck: check.

Bakura smirked. "I wonder how many toilets we can back up? Or how many neighbours we can piss off?"

Ryou and Malik turned on their darks.

"Oh no you won't! You are going to be a peaceful Yami for just once! Like Yami!"

I groaned. "Please, just leave me out of this! The only thing I will have to do with this is to save Kaibas house from their insane brains, or what's left of them, that's it."

"Kill Joy," Marik muttered.

Bakura kept up his smirk however. "And what if I refuse to do a Yami and kiss ass?"

I shot a pure look of venom his way. "You have no idea how much I would love to shoot you right now, you should just be thankful your light enjoys your company, though how is beyond me."

It was Bakuras turn to give me a death look this time, before giving a smug smirk.

"It's the back-to-back orgasmic sex, don't spose you'd know much about that though would you? And bear in mind I'm talking about sex in general."

I'm pretty sure I turned a stunning shade of red, before giving him the finger.

He grinned evilly. "Well, if you really want to."

My eyes widened before I groaned.

"You'll behave." Ryous voice, soft but firm, broke through our battle of sexual wits, which I was sad to realise I was losing.

Bakura smirked again. "And why, may I ask? How do you think you are going to make me?"

"No sex."

Bakuras face fell.

"Ha! You are a pathetic excuse for a grave robber! Can't even go a few nights without screwing your light, and you think I'm a sex beggar!"

Bakura snarled and leapt at me.

My eyes narrowed and I lashed out with my fist, catching Bakura on the side of the face. He carried on unfazed, and I had to admire his strength as he tackled me to the ground and served me with a fist to my jaw. I heard Ryou shouting, as well as Yugi. I saw Yugi run up and start to pull on Bakuras hair while I kept his fingers from closing around my throat. Bakura used one of his free feet to kick Yugi back. I growled, and brought my knee up hard and fast. Bakura gasped in pain, before disappearing.

I looked for the white haired demon, but could only see Otogi nursing a wincing Yugi, and Ryou, deep in concentration, obviously trying to control Bakura through the ring.

I groaned as Marik came over and hauled me off the ground. "Nice one Pharaoh, not ten minutes here, and you've already wounded Bakura drastically."

I smirked. "How long do you think before he can walk without help?"

Marik shook his head and looked up, trying hard not to laugh by trying to empathise with Bakura. Considering Marik isn't the most emphatic person, he kinda failed at the first.

I walked up to Yugi, rubbing my jaw slightly. He looked up at me with watery eyes and I lowered myself to my knees by his side.

"Where does it hurt?"

Yugi pointed to his chest and I felt there as gently as possible. He still gasped in pain. His ribs were all intact, but one was probably fractured. I gathered this from the fact I had been the target of many of Bakuras kicks. I concentrated, laying one hand on Yugis chest and the other on my puzzle. I felt the warm glow of the puzzle against my chest and thought of the energy within it, bright and brilliant, flowing down my arm to Yugis chest and healing the pained area. The buzz of energy left me abruptly as it shot down my arm and into Yugi.

Yugi gasped slightly at the feeling before smiling and closing his eyes at the sensation. Anyone would think he was... bad Yami bad! When he opened them, he looked as though he could run a mile and lift a ton.

"Better?"

Yugi smiled again and nodded. "Much."

I turned to see Ryou shaking his head. He finally sighed. "Watch out Yami, here he comes."

Bakura materialized next to Ryou and I fought back the overwhelming urge to throw something at him. Anything. I didn't care if it meant touching Anzu. I just wanted to maim him for hurting Yugi.

Bakura just looked at me with the same intense look of hatred I was giving him. Both of us were extremely pissed. It didn't take a brain surgeon to figure that one out.

"Now," Ryou spoke up, "you, Bakura, are going to apologize first to Yugi, and then Yami."

Bakura looked enraged at the suggestion.

"And you, Yami," Yugi spoke up, "are going to apologize to Bakura for having to be a smart-ass."

At this, I glared at my own hikari. Apologize? To the tomb robber?! He must be mad. I expected it though, I mean, when I was inside the puzzle, he talked to himself.

"Yami!"

"What?" I growled.

"Well?"

I gave a look of indignation. "Why do I have to go first?"

Ryou nodded. "Fine. Bakura?"

Bakura looked about ready to erupt. I had a sneaking suspicion I looked about the same.

In the time of our argument, Jou and Honda had appeared as well as Anzu popping up from somewhere (where she had disappeared in the first place after we arrived was a mystery, though one that would remain unsolved as I really couldn't give a shit). All were at a safe distance from Bakura and myself. Otogi stood behind Yugi, who was giving me a I'm-waiting look.

Ryou was beside the very pissed off Bakura, with his hands on his hips.

"Well?"

I grit my teeth and decided to get it over with.

"Sorry Tomb Robber," I muttered, knowing everyone there had heard it anyway.

Bakura looked smug until Ryou gave a mental prompt.

"I'm sorry Yugi. Sorry Pharaoh."

Bakura had said the first part quite openly, and done what I had done and muttered my apology. Ryou smiled, pleased. Yugi gave Bakura a smile, that was returned very meagerly. Bakura and I started glaring at each other once again.

"Well, now that you children have matured for a minute, shall we head in?"

As Bakura and I turned our glares on Marik, the bell decided to toll. Ra damn it all.

The ache of my jaw suddenly returned, and I was rather pleased to see Bakura limping and holding his face. Hmph. That'll teach the bastard robber.

As I entered the classroom, I felt a pair of cold cerulean eyes following my movements toward my desk. I stopped and looked at the billionaire, only to see he had already turned his gaze away. Damn, and here I was thinking I could get a look at those gorgeous eyes. Sighing, I pulled out the chair at my desk and sat down with a huff. The nightmare of last night still bothered me infinitely. I couldn't deny the fact that I was attracted to Kaiba. He had once been my high priest, my love. And I couldn't deny the fact that I envied Yugi, Bakura and Marik for what they had. They had someone to love them, someone 'who' loved them.

"Morning class."

There was no reply to this teacher. Most teachers showed up in the morning and were relatively bright and cheery. Who wouldn't be if you worked in a place where you had power over just about everyone there? But our teacher walked in and sat down, looking as if this was more hell for him then us, and read the notices, called our names then made us sit there in silence. I mean, he's being paid to do this! If someone spoke, automatic detention. Sounds harsh huh? Well, this guys was like that. Not to mention fugly. The guy had probably never gotten laid in his life! And if he had, it would've been out of pity, I assure you.

The bell sounded again, and most of us stood. We all had different classes now, excepting Yugi with Jou, Honda and Anzu, and me with Bakura.

When I looked at what we had, I groaned. Bakura and I now both had gym. Really, am I that bad a person? Ok, don't answer that one.

---

How'd ya like that? You know the only way I'll know is with a review. And, if someone can tell me where Otogi's quote is derived from, the one involving Anzu, I'll give em a cookie. (Oh yeah, that one is a 'real' hard one to figure out.)

Next chapter, dancing, match making, and Kaiba bored enough to imagine exploding soccer balls. Yep, its entertainment all right.

Btw, sozz about the length of this chapter, I get carried away.


	3. Revelations

Hi all. How is everyone? Good? Well, I certainly hope so, cause if you're all well, you'll all review. Also a thank you to those who reviewed and gave me a boost of confidence, I needed it.

Ok, sorry about any mistakes or anything, but I really just wanted to post this, so...

Disclaimer: Nope, no-ownsies...

Chapter Three – Revelations

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Kaibas pov

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He sighed in relief as the Pharaohs eyes left him. He had been, unintentionally staring at the Yami, only catching himself up as Yami had turned to look at him.

He shouldn't have been staring, risking drawing Yamis attention as well as his fan clubs, but his nightmares of the night before plagued him. He'd had to see him, see if anything he had seen in the pharaohs eyes last night were there.

But there wasn't. His eyes, the deep scarlet pools that seemed alive in themselves with the passion of flame, had held nothing.

He had been following in his 'groupies,' nursing a red jaw, probably caused by Bakura, who was also nursing a bruising eye, as well as limping slightly.

This irked him for some reason, someone hurting Yami. He didn't know why, and it bothered him immensely that there were emotions like that running unchecked in his sub-conscious, but he couldn't deny the flare of anger he had at seeing the Game King hurt.

He hurriedly tried to dismiss this as the bell rang. He grabbed his diary and checked the poorly constructed timetable. Gym.

It didn't seem fair, and he hated having to participate in the tiresome activities teachers seemed to pull out of their ass in an attempt to entertain themselves as well as the students. Mind you, his version of entertainment involving the students would prove far more interesting, as it would involve explosive soccer balls and a lot of goalie practice.

And then there was the fact that he had this period with Yami. Not to mention Bakura. Those two always managed to disrupt the class somehow, whether it being Bakura leaving Yami on the 'high beam' or Yami letting the soccer net down when Bakura is goalie. Although mildly amusing, it never did stifle the fact that Seto loathed Gym.

He rose from his seat, shaking his head. Grabbing his stuff, Seto walked out the homeroom door, unaware he was walking right into a fresh revelation of his current dreams.

---AN: snickers would love to leave the Pharaoh on the high beam.---

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Yamis pov

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"Duck Pharaoh!" Bakura yelled, as he sent a basket ball flying at my chest at an incredible pace.

His words were meant to confuse me, so I ignored them, and when the ball shot at my midriff, I jerked to the left.

"Ha! Missed!" My gloating was short lived as several more fast spinning orbs shot at my body. I didn't even blink as I weaved around all of them, ancient training coming back to my mind. As two sped at both my knees and waist, I prayed to Ra I had a half decent memory and forward flipped myself at an angle to the left, narrowly avoiding both of them. I also prayed Seto was watching...

Several of the girls watching gasped at my maneuver, but I ignored them. After Bakura had gotten out, I had begun to enjoy this game...dodgeball. Bakura had been shoving me at balls left right and centre, but then someone got him out, and now, I was the last one left.

As I continually avoided orange blurs, I felt the anger of the group around me rise as they failed to hit me. Then I did the most stupid thing, in my books, imaginable and turned my back on the damned tomb robber.

As I dodged another ball, I felt arms grasp around my own and pin me back against their chest. Oh shit! I heard Bakuras whisper in my ear.

"King of Games is about to be assassinated."

And with that, balls pelted at my chest from all assailants. Ra!! I let out a small gasp, the only sign to Bakura that the speeding bullets of orange had hurt. He released me.

"You lose."

I clutched at my chest and rose my eyes to his brown mocking ones. "Asshole!" I snarled, before leaping at him, despite the fact most of the guys were now arguing with most of the girls that what happened was unfair or not.

Our scuffling, which I was winning (thankfully, I had to win some form of argument with him today), was broken up by the P.E. teacher.

"Enough you two! I'm tired of writing up a report for the both of you every P.E. lesson!"

I'm pretty sure we ignored him. That was until he and several other students fought between us and pried us apart. We stood there, glowering at one another.

"Bakura that was out of line, go and sit on the bench."

I smirked at him, and he scowled back.

"Now, where were we? Oh, right, I was just about to educate you stone-age morons on dancing after your warm up. I think you're warmed up enough."

My smugness died about then. Dancing? With females?! Ok, girls don't disturb me exactly, its just the way they mass around me at times like this, when partners are needed to be chosen and I'm at risk of having my clothing stolen right off me.

Argh! Speaking of which, the normal little gathering filed their way toward me, while the rest fled toward Seto.

Shit! Think! My eyes raked around the gym, landing on nothing helpful in the slightest.

I had to resist the urge to jump as one latched onto my arm, almost purring at me. I wondered if these girls all had a friendship fetish too? Now that would terrify me.

"Yami giggle will you be my partner for dancing?"

"... Uhhh?!"

My eyes whipped around the area for any source of escape, and all I found was Bakura, sitting there laughing at me in silent tones. I glared venom at the bastard tomb robber, as he sat there smirking at me.

I kept looking, and all my eyes could find was the lone figure of a brunette in a sea of smiling girls.

My heart lurched. I would literally kill this girl, to dance with Seto Kaiba. I wanted to break loose, feel his hips against my own, as we clung to one another in a desperate passionate dance.

Then reality rammed a cattle prod up my ass.

"Thanks Yami!" My eyes widened.

Wait! Thanks?! How did she get 'yes' from 'Uhhh?' None of the letters were even the same!

My new body extension now dragged me over to the dance floor. Some of the guys there gave me envious looks. Hey, they could have her, I mean, half the guys I wouldn't of minded trading the girl for... I so desperately wanted Seto...

She pulled me into position, taking up the correct dance posture and all, her fingers biting into my shoulder. I sighed, and put my hand on her hip. She giggled. Ugh. Who giggles? I mean really...

-------------------

Setos pov

-------------------

He moved so gracefully, efficiently. Seto couldn't believe the Game Kings skill, and grace, as he weaved his way out of the path of his classmates anger. His steps were precise, his movements calculated and planned. His muscles flexed, moving with feline grace.

Not that he made an effort to pay that much attention. No, not at all...

He watched as Bakura took hold of the Pharaohs arms, pinning him, watched as the ruby eyed teen let out a small gasp of pain as he was pounded with fast moving spheres.

(AN: hahahaha. Ha.)

And Seto couldn't help but get angry. Ok, getting angry, that's an understatement. He wanted to tie down the tomb robber with barbed wire and pour molten hot lava all over his nether regions. No-one touched his Pharaoh.

Wait ... 'his' pharaoh? Wrong Seto, bad, very bad.

What was wrong with him? Since when had the Pharaoh been any more than his rival? His most aggressive and determined competitor? Never, and he doubted it would ever be. He was somewhat dismayed though, as he felt a small part of him wish otherwise.

'When did this..., these feelings, when the fuck did they get here?' he thought distractedly.

"Now, where were we? Oh, right, I was just about to educate you stone-age morons on dancing after your warm up. I think you're warmed up enough."

--Another pov change, still Setos though---

Oh great, dancing. There are just some joys in life you can't go without. Note, if you can, the underlying sarcasm.

The swarm of your average teenage girls split down the middle, half going toward Yami, half heading for me.

I inwardly grimaced. I constantly make an effort to ignore them, disregarding all comments they send at me, can't they take the bloody hint and keep the hell away from me?!

"Hello Seto."

Its 'Kaiba', and that's not even for you to call me.

"Would you like to dance with me?" 'Not particularly, but considering you're my best option at the moment...

"Hmn."

She looked like I'd just asked her to marry me! She glowed!

"Great! Thanks Seto."

She seized my arm and began to, practically, haul me across the room to stand one couple away from Yami. Why did I decide to think about Yami? I scowled at myself, a look that my 'dance partner' missed.

"Alright, now, take up your positions. This is to see if you can remember what I showed you last lesson." Here, he pressed a play button on the tape player. "Now, on 3, 1...2...3, and.."

And so the dance began that way. I had already learnt this dance once before, so I made no mistakes and barely paid my partner any mind. She just did her best to stumble after me, having forgotten whatever it was they had learnt last week. I chanced a glance at the Pharaoh, to see he too was doing a good job at this. He had obviously remembered the last lesson. And well. I grimaced as I stomped on the voice that told me I'd very much enjoy dancing with the Pharaoh.

The circle continued at its pace, only a few of the dancers really moving at the right rhythm, with the right movements. One of them being Yami... argh, damn you brain!

"Bakura! Get over here and join in!"

Wonderful.

I braced myself for anything, even remotely different, from the normal way of movement. Bakura took up one of the free girls, and moved to stand next to Yami. Bakura sent him a 'can you believe this' look, which Yami returned with a look that said 'shoot me, please.'

I agreed with them. My partner had gotten the hang of the dance by now, and could spend a little more time flirting with me. I just ignored her, though it got a little difficult when the hand on my shoulder moved to my chest, and started to slide down.

'I will scream rape, if her hand moves any further down,' I promised myself.

I glanced back over to the spirits, to see Bakura grinning like a maniac. Not good.

It happened then, whether Yami was aware of it or not, Bakura made an effort to trip both himself, and his partner, sending both of them flying away from each other in a turn. It happened in a domino affect. Bakura slammed into Yamis partner, causing the Game King to trip up, and fly backward. The pair that had been between us managed to part, as Yami fell back between them, toward us. I barely registered the other people falling from the other direction, as I pushed my partner from me, hoping to catch the shorter duelist. Yami toppled against me, and I lost my footing.

Shit. I cursed fluently in every language I knew as the Game King landed sprawled on top of me.

Then I felt the heat in my face rise, and I suppressed the images of last night that fired around my mind. A part of me loathed the close contact, wanted to dismember the body that nestled close to my skin, while another part wanted nothing more than for Yami to sit atop me, to be able to gaze up into those seductive red eyes.

I briefly wondered when that new part of me had been brought to life.

Yami struggled to rise, throwing his 'cushion' a thank you glance. When he saw I was beneath him, he turned a deep red.

He started muttering for a response, averting his eyes. My own eyes narrowed, despite my current blush, and I scrutinised the Game King.

I then caught his apology.

"Sorry Seth," he muttered, pushing himself up.

Wait, Seth?

"Seth?"

In his shock, his hand slipped out beneath him, and his body fell back against me once again. Now, the voice came as an incessant urge, and I fought my rampart sub conscious, as the Pharaoh raised himself again. Two emotions were warring inside me, a deep appreciation for this contact, and a profound hatred unlike anything I'd ever felt before. It almost made me physically ill.

His eyes, wide, shot up to look at me. "I meant Seto.. I mean," he paused, and I figured he was mentally kicking himself, very hard. I was breathing deeply, my whole form rigid with the strength of containing this hatred...

He breathed. "Sorry Kaiba."

I grunted my response as he fought to gain his feet. That was when I heard it. Whispered.

"Stupid dreams."

--------------

Yamis pov

-------------

Kill me now, just do it. One quick, clean blow, end my suffering.

Oh, Ra, what in the name of Anubis, happened in there? Mental note, shoot Bakura for not thinking his plans through. Argh! This was not my day!

I slammed my locker door closed so hard, I shattered the lock itself. Scowling, I added a new lock to my list of things I needed to get or do; it came right after 'install gas oven.'

"Wow Pharaoh, you pissed or what?"

I turned to Bakura, and Marik, not that I cared, giving him a look that plainly said, I will kill you!

"What did I do?"

"You and that stupid attempt to get out of dancing," I growled.

The realisation hit him, and he smirked. "You just say that cause you ended up on top of Kaiba and couldn't do anymore than look down at him."

I blanched. "What?"

"Don't play dumb with us Pharaoh, though you're very good at it" Marik added, "we see it every time you look at him, every time he's around. You change. You notice him. Its... strange and ... weird, to see you the way you are, around the high priest."

I could only stare at them, before turning away in defeat. They knew. Damn it. They knew!

"Pharaoh?"

I ignored them, I didn't need there scathing remarks, their sarcastic comments.

"Yami... look, we're not going to make fun of you for this. You love someone. Good for you."

I spun to stare at them both, both giving me looks... looks I couldn't quite understand, as I'd never seen them on their faces directed at me before.

"What?"

"We understand Pharaoh," Bakura summarised. "We get it, so, this time, we think we should help 'you.'"

"Pardon?" Now, I was really confused, they wanted to 'help' me? They understood, about 'love'? About 'real' love? They 'felt' love?

"We've seen you pining after the arrogant CEO, so we're going to help you get him."

I think my look of shock, disbelief, and amusement gave them reason to explain themselves further. I mean, one of the many choice words bounding about my head was 'how?'

"This weekend, we are going to set you up with Seto Kaiba, would you prefer me to say it in egyptian?"

"You two are going to play matchmaker? For me and Kaiba? Sorry, but if I'm a little skeptical about that, I hope you look back on our past and understand."

Marik and Bakura both made a face at me. "Well, would you rather we went to Kaiba and talked to him about you?"

I panicked. "No."

"Then, hear us out."

-------------

Kaibas pov

-------------

'Stupid dreams.'

The two words had done nothing but bug the CEO all day, eventually causing him to slam his head against the table in an effort to banish them.

What had Yami meant by that? Was he dreaming about me like I dreamt of him? No, that's preposterous, you're being ridiculous Kaiba.

Still, his mind continued to plague him with images of the Game King, some disturbingly welcome, others remnants of nightmares. What disturbed him more were the unrelenting emotions that surfaced when he thought of the ruby eyes.

When the lunch bell sounded, he barely heard it, only registering the fact when he realised the room was empty.

Groaning, the CEO seized his books and stalked out of the empty room, heading for his locker. He didn't care if they'd had homework, he'd just say he'd been busy at a meeting through the weekend. He spun the lock several times, and the door popped open. He roughly shoved his books inside, keeping the briefcase he carried every where in his hand. Closing the door, he clicked the lock, and turned only to walk head first into Marik.

"Watch where you're going Kaiba," he barked at me.

It took all the control power I possessed not to deck him. I was certain he had it coming to him, deciding to give me hell on the day I don't think I can deal with it. He was looking at me, while I ranted to myself in my head (that can't be good for me), and I glared back.

He chuckled. "I'd ask what was bothering you, but seeing as you have that look on your face all day, everyday, I see little point to start caring now."

Oh look, my left eyes twitching.

"Marik, unless you have something to tell me that would truly capture my interest, like the fact you plan on taking a toaster for a swim, then I have nothing more to say to you, unless of course I'm rather lucky and you do indeed to do so?"

He smirked and shook his head.

"Then you have nothing more to offer me. So sod off."

Holding my briefcase tightly, I pushed past him

"We'll see about that."

My eyes narrowed and I spin back to face him, only to see he had already headed off down the hall. Cursing him, Yami, and the rest of the bloody world, I headed outside the school building, towards the edge of the grounds.

Here, I sat and contemplated what I was going to do tonight. I had, unfortunately, promised Mokuba I would try to get involved, play some of the games, talk to the others, not kill anyone or anything. Just Mokubas basic party rules for me.

I scowled at the thought of what state my home would be left in once they left, praying they didn't find any of the stuff I have to hide from Mokuba.

Mokuba had told them all to come around about five o'clock, which gave me very little time to mentally prepare myself for their onslaught of stupidity. Yes, incase its not obvious, I'm in a very bad mood.

I glance down at what I'm sposed to be eating, only to find I have no appetite, and probably wouldn't until this weekend was gone and done.

I lift my head from my thoughts as the bell sounds out. Muttering obscenities to myself under my breath, I move back into the school, into the thronging crowd and mass of students as they swarm the corridors. Actually, most of them blocked the corridors, standing in little groups and having a nice little chat, though it doesn't bother me. I just walk and people part the way for me.

Sometimes I hate the fact they do that, hate that everyone notices me and only gives me the respect for what I am. I'm growing tired of all their false words, their lying praises. I'm sick of everyone judging me, in some way, either seeing me as some high rank billionaire, or a piece of meat. No-one knows what I truly feel, what I truly want. No-one cares either, though they pretend they do, and that is what I hate, the fact that they pretend. For once, I'd love for them to leave me alone, to be able to be something I want, do something I want. I'd love for them, just once, to ignore me in the halls, for me to have to fight to get through. I don't want them to see me for what I am, but who I am.

Nothing presents a challenge to me anymore, nothing.

'Wait, no,' I correct myself. There is one that presents a challenge to me, in more ways than one.

--------------

Yes, a little Seto revelation there. Very moody millionaire. Sorry, once again, chapter was rather long. I'm bad at cutting things short. I like long stories.

Anyway, next chapter, Seto is in pain... well, at least I think I'll put it in the next chapter... mmm, who knows... I'll just leave you all hangin.

Now, review!!


	4. Inner Turmoil

Hello all. This is lazy-sod authoress signing in to her somewhat abused fic. I have to update this fic and keep it going, cause it won't leave me alone, and if I don't get it out of my head, I'll lose any sanity that still resides in my wasted mind.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh or its characters. Any one who knows me knows this is true, cause I'm currently begging for work as it is.

Dedication: My T.V. It's my only friend at the moment… I'm 'very' bored.

Chapter Four – Inner Turmoil

------------------

Yamis pov

------------------

Bakura and Marik had a plan. This one fact made me more nervous than anything. The next is what they had told me afterward. 'Don't worry about it for now, we'll take care of it, trust us.'

Trust them?!

The ones who made my life a living hell during battle city, the ones who are constantly bickering and fighting with each other and myself, the ones who intend to put down 'mass genocide' for their ideal future jobs?!

They wanted me to 'trust' them?!

The very idea made me laugh. Scream. Cower.

And so I sat, musing over every possible idea an ancient Egyptian and Egyptian psychopath could come up with in the span of an afternoon. When I thought about it, none of them made me feel a single bit better. Therefore, I spent my last couple of classes sitting in the back of the room, fretting my brains out. Consequently, I now have the IQ of spam.

I was finally convinced that I needed to tell Marik and Bakura to back off or else banish them to prevent them from ruining both my reputation and any chance I could get with the CEO, when the bell rang. I breathed a deep breath, and prepared myself for confronting them.

Striding out of the class room, I headed down the hall towards homeroom. I passed a black haired boy, smiling jubilantly, and remembered Mokuba's party. I spun round and made for my locker. I wasn't about to take home a stack of books I wouldn't even look at, and I knew I wasn't going to get any work done at the party.

When I reached my locker, I slammed every book I had in there, then slammed it shut, deep in concentration. So deep, I missed the pair of eyes studying each of my movements closely. So deep, I spun round and ran right into that someone.

I opened my closed eyes to a chest, well toned beneath the unappealing white shirt. I raised my eyes over the chest, up the neck, across the proud jaw line, to eyes of cerulean ice. Those eyes looked deep into my own, searching for something.

I didn't realise it at the time, as I was instantly trying to gain control over my traitorous lower half, that found the close proximity of the CEO's body and my own highly appealing.

"Sorry Kaiba, I didn't see you."

I thought he hadn't heard me, his eyes not holding any form of recognition in them, his features still remaining fixed on my eyes.

Or so I thought.

"Clearly."

I was surprised at his voice, the sound lacking some of its usual sneer. He continued to look at me, and I felt some part of me withering under the gaze.

"Guess I'll see you tonight huh?"

His eyes seemingly snapped back to reality, whether it was the mention of his upcoming torture or that I was ending the conversation, I wasn't sure.

"Hn."

He spun on his heel and walked away with the usual confident grace I find myself always trying to master and match. I couldn't help but admit, I always loved his one syllable, non-committal responses too.

Aw, I just love the antisocial asshole…

-----------------

Setos pov

-----------------

I stared, I can't believe I stared! Stupid Pharaoh and his damn slender, sexy, elegant… damn him!!

I stormed down the halls, people leaping out of my way as I went. I stalked into homeroom, slammed down my briefcase, and sat into my chair in a huff.

The room, formerly filled with the inane chatter of students, was now silent, as they watched me, making sure I wasn't about to lash out and eat them.

I summoned as much strength as I could, and glared at them all, each pair of eyes vanishing as their owners resumed their conversations.

All but two, two pairs of eyes.

One was a rich chocolate brown, the other alluring lavender.

I should think my glare had intensified then, but neither of them showed any signs of relenting their gazes. If anything, small smirks crept onto their psychotic faces.

Furious my glare-of-death hadn't worked, I turned my head toward the window, savoring the rays of warmth that seeped through the unclean glass.

My moment of silence was short lived, as both the chihuahua and Yugi made their appearance followed of course by their cheer leading squad.

None of them spared me a glance, as they took seats around the tomb robber and Egyptian.

When one finally did look at me, it was the friendship freak, with her pitiful gaze of distrust and malice. I loathed her for that, that look for which she gave only to me, and for what reason I was yet to learn. Anger broiled within me, and I watched my fists tighten reflexively, the knuckles going white. They did not know me, 'she' did not know me, and she thought she could 'judge' me?

I saw red, my vision blurring with the one flaming emotion that was riddling itself through out me, consuming me. I closed my eyes, afraid someone would see what I planned before I did it, if they chose to look at me. I wanted to hurt her, see her suffer, not just her, all of them. /'Do it Seto.'/

That voice…

'What is this?

/'Do it!'/

'Where is this coming from? Who is this?'

/'Attack!'/

My whole body tensed. /'Strike them!'/

'Stop!'

I snapped.

My muscles spasmed, and my chest felt as though it was tearing itself apart. My eyes opened to a world of blurs and dots, as the pain consumed my body. Everything hurt, everything burned with a pain that couldn't be seen on the surface, and I let out a small cry of pain, shock. I no longer controlled my body, as it twitched and writhed in the seat, as I sought to escape it.

My breath came ragged, as my lips parted to form another small, but agonised cry, before my mind and body collapsed from the hurt, into sweet dark oblivion., all the while, a soft voice screaming in my head '_attack…'._

_---------------------_

Yamis pov

-----------------

I listened without really hearing, staring without sight, at the desk beneath me. I didn't really care about whatever the others discussed or contemplated, my mind was elsewhere, lost in an epiphany of thought and feeling.

His eyes, they had been searching, searching inside of me, looking for something.

What? What was he looking for?

A sound met my ears, that I only barely registered, but still was enough to alert my senses.

Tearing my focus from my thoughts, I searched for the cause of it, a sound I couldn't quite place right now. Apparently, no-one else had heard it but me, and the others continued with their conversation. I frowned.

My eyes scanned the room, finding nothing, till at last they fell on the executive in the end row, alone. I thought nothing of his usual cold posture, until he lifted his head, his eyes wide and stricken, as though he saw nothing and everything, as though… he was in pain.

My body froze, as I saw him twitching in pain, his body convulsing in his seat.

I leapt to my feet, my chair flying backward, crashing into Jou's, who let out a distinct yelp of shock and indignation. It barely registered it in my brain, as my feet moved swiftly across the grafitied floor, crossing the distance between myself and the CEO.

His head came back again, his lips parting to let out another cry of pain, before he slumped, his form sliding from the chair to fall toward the ground.

I dropped to my knees as he fell, catching his slender form, my arms encircling him as his weight settled into my lap.

My eyes searched his face, his skin glistening under the thin layer of sweat that had accumulated in the last thirty seconds.

His whole form was limp in my arms, and I swallowed my heart as it leapt up my throat.

He was pale, deathly white, and my instincts took over. My eyes shot to the group, who looked at the scene with uncomprehending eyes, surprise, shock, plastered over every face.

I sought Mariks gaze, yet made it known to all of them, as I hissed my request, the class still blissfully unawares.

"Distraction!"

Immediately, Marik turned around, pulling the Millennium Rod from his belt, and pointed it at a far desk. Light ripped from the Rod's eye, and the desk burst into flames.

The class screamed.

As of yet, none had noticed the CEO's plight, and now, teens ran in panic to the door, yelling and crying out, none taking any notice, while Bakura formed a wall with the others, faining cries of horror.

Though Mariks pyromaniac tendencies disturbed me, they had prevailed. It wasn't what I had had in mind, but it was proving effective.

Laying the lifeless body on the floor, I quickly checked his vital signs. His pulse was erratic, his breathing fast and shallow, and his face was now whiter than snow.

I channeled the energy of the puzzle, laying my hands atop the brunettes' chest. My hands glowed, the Sennen Eye flashing to my forehead, as my mind left my body, as I brought forth the brilliant and consuming healing light of the puzzle.

It flowed through my arms, hands, fingers, as I felt the others eyes resting on us both.

I searched for the source of discomfort within the teen.

It was throughout him. Like a shadow, a poison that had spread through his body and now held it. Yet I could not define it, could not identify it.

But if it caused Seto pain, if it was what was hurting him, it had to go, I must banish it.

I concentrated the puzzles energy, and felt it flowing down through me, filling him with rich and vibrant light, chasing away this 'shadow' that burdened him.

Beneath my hands, his breathing grew steadier, his pulse slowing.

My mind scanned his body quickly, checking it was gone. I was certain it was, until a brief flicker alerted me otherwise.

This part, I could've sworn, was residing in Setos mind, almost sheltering there. I inwardly frowned, before directing the brilliant light towards it.

It began diminishing, and my mind reached out to it, making sure.

It lashed out.

I recoiled in pain.

Then it began.

My head felt as though it was going to split, my heart as though it was bursting from my chest. The eye vanished from my head, my hands withdrawing from his chest, as my body jerked backwards, and my mind screamed in agony.

But that wasn't all I heard screaming in my mind.

Voices, pained and desperate, called out to me, begged. The voices ripped through my mind, some in such blinding agony that it became all I knew, the sounds nothing short of torture.

Was I screaming?

I couldn't hear myself, or the others, but I had to be. This was consuming.

Darkness lashed out, held my sense, the voices screaming and moaning, all the sounds bombarding my mind with a dead and agonizing accuracy.

_Please… help us…_

_Save me…_

Then it ended.

I lay, on my back, gasping for breath, my heart beat ringing in my ears. Above me, I gazed into the concerned faces of Bakura and Marik, each of whom had the white light of the Sennen eye burning on their heads.

"Pharaoh, are you alright?" They asked, eyes flashing.

I tried to nod, but my head felt heavy. Then, a small figure wrapped their arms tightly around my chest. Yugi held me.

"Yami what happened?" He said, sounding scared.

"I-I…don't know…"

And I didn't. Never before had I felt this, this mind numbing agony that could only be heard in the chambers of my soul.

"You were… you were screaming… crying out…"

Mariks Sennen eye faded away, though the look of concern on his face was still there. Bakura it seemed, thought it better to be safe rather than sorry, and continued to keep the light burning.

When I looked at all the group, both Yugi and… ugh, Tea, had tears in their eyes. With a slight wince, I shrugged their hands from my shoulders, pushing and parting the group, till I could see Kaiba.

His eyes and body twitched, as he stirred.

The others watched my gaze, following it.

Reaching out, I pulled the CEO into a sitting position in my lap, as his eyes snapped open. The cold blue irises widened in shock, before narrowing in suspicion, accusation, and fear.

"What?!"

"You…," I coughed, and looked up at the others, indicating they should all bugger off, but they didn't.

"You… passed out, or fainted or something like that. When I looked at you, it looked like… like you were being electrocuted from the inside," I finished lamely.

I wasn't exactly familiar with most modern things, but knew enough of what electricity could do from the time Marik jammed the tip of the rod into a power point, to try and prove to his hikari he couldn't be electrified or die.

Seto had looked like Marik, times ten, but minus the spiky charred hair.

He dropped his gaze from mine. "What did you do?" his voice whispered.

"He caught you, then healed you. Duh," Bakura added, as though this made all the difference.

I glared at Bakura, before turning and nodding my agreeance with them. "I, well, I brought your pulse rate down, and calmed your body."

His eyes widened again, and he suddenly seemed to realise he was in my lap, and removed himself. He pulled himself to his feet, straightening his clothes.

As if on cue, teachers and authorities poured into the room, some diverting when they realised we were still in it, the others racing to the flaming desk… chair… bookshelf.

Smoke was gradually filling the room, I just hadn't noticed.

Seto surveyed the carnage with an amused glint to his eyes.

"Your handy work?" he murmured, as the teachers began ushering us out.

I let loose a small grin. "Sort of."

The group filed out and down the hall, amid curious glances from the few students who had not yet been evacuated. The smell of smoke clung to our clothes, and Ryou, Yugi, Tea and Tristan had begun coughing.

Bakura snorted, before inhaling a great mouthful of air.

"I love being dead."

Marik grinned. "Oh please, I'll show you what death is."

Leaping up, he snared the albino in a bruising head lock, and the spirits reply, was smothered to a choking cough.

The teachers, seeing us to be fine, despite the continuous bouts of coughing that left the others guts on the floor, turned their attention to fussing over the CEO.

"Are you alright Seto?"

"Would you like something to drink? Some food maybe?"

"Did you enhale any smoke?"

I sniggered.

Kaiba shot me a very withering look, before waving a dismissive hand at them, making them scuttle away to help those who had so far lost their lungs and small intestines to coughing.

They began moving them down the hall, out into the dimming sunshine, where school nurses and paramedics waited.

I glanced down the hall, back to the classroom, which had smoke billowing out its door. Any second now, I mused to myself.

Sure enough, with a shrill and not to mention exceptionally painful whistle, the fire alarms sprung to life, and the sprinklers began their shower.

I grinned.

Marik had released Bakura, who was rubbing his throat with a scowl, and looked up at the nearest sprinkler, its jets of water flattening his spiky golden hair to his head.

I saw him smirk. Then wink.

… At the 'sprinkler'?

Almost instantly, the head shattered, and it was as though the blonde had turned on a tap, water gushing out.

I laughed.

And here I had been thinking he had a metal fetish, and I'd never be able to touch the rod again…

Down the hall, a teacher cried aloud that the place was coming to bits.

Bakura chuckled and looked at the next one. It too burst its' banks.

Chuckling, they both turned to look at me, giving me encouragingly devious smirks. I grinned, and concentrated.

I still felt drained, but could not resist showing them up.

It happened in a domino effect from where I stood, with the sound of many gunshots. Above me, and slightly down, the first one went.

Then the second, until all the halls sprinklers had lost their heads, and were flooding the carpet and classrooms.

I was soaked.

But still laughed at the begrudging spirits, as they yelped at the sudden down pour I had opened above their heads, leaping aside.

Behind me, another deep voice chuckled.

I turned, smiling, and lo-and-behold, there stood Seto Kaiba.

Logic fled me.

And I'm pretty sure my jaw went slack.

Water had soaked and matted his hair, forcing him to have casually pushed the now mud brown bangs from his eyes.

His blue jacket hung open, revealing… _sweet Ra…_

The plain white shirt beneath the jacket was plastered to his chest. The slightly see-through material revealed his smooth and toned chest.

My mouth, despite the flooding, went dry.

He opened the shining blue eyes, piercingly direct, and looked at me.

I gave a forced smile, and hurriedly looked away.

Almost instantly, teachers were shepherding us down the drenched hall, out into the fading, but still brilliant light of the afternoon sun.

Yet the sun couldn't sear away that beautiful vision of a sopping wet Kaiba, forever engraved in my mind.

As the teachers pushed and pulled us away from the building, Seto diverted away from the rest of us, and headed to a sleek black limo that sat by the curb. The door opened for him, and he slid inside.

The car pulled away, and left me to deal with the upsurge of discontent.

I had not forgotten. That dark spot, that painful hole in Seto's mind, was now within my own, and Seto's image would not be the only thing I did not forget this day.

The voices that had torn through my defenses and shredded my mind, were still fresh, and left me hollow with nothing to fill the void but the sound of agonised screams.

--------------

So, what's on Seto mind eh? Or what's in it.

Sorry it took me a while to update, but I lost all my 'scripts' for this story so to speak, and have spent months looking for them.

Anyway, I have updated, how shocking.

So please R&R!


	5. Voices

I'm sorry it takes so long to update this one, I just can't seem to sit down and get the thoughts running. You know how people are meant to have or get the creative juices flowing? Well, I drank all mine when I was out of OJ. Bugger huh…

Disclaimer: Pff, yeah right…

Dedication: to my friend, who originally started this with me, for her Birthday. Happy Birthday Gothankh

Dangerousgirl – Mmm, I love psychopaths, don't you?

Nachzes Black-Rider – ack, oh no! shhh! You can't give it all away! And yes, my keyboard had a bath during that chapter…

YamiLover69 – yeah, the party really 'begins' next chapter, but trust me, it ain't gonna last long. /smirks evilly/

Vampiress24 – haha, everyone love's a dripping wet Kaiba. And that will not be the only Kaiba pain scene, there will be more…

silver-dagger-113 – Mmm, there's a good couple of scenes coming up with them, and the trouble they cause…

Yit-ha - /pales/ no!! don't do that!! I felt so bad cause I got severe writers block and all that, and I don't want you to snuff yourself! Argh…

Chapter Five – Voices…

------------------

Bakura's pov/house. Sorry, not exactly a 'pov' pre tell.

------------------

"Bakura, what are you doing?"

The white haired head was immersed in the linen closet of his and Ryou's home, searching.

"I'm looking for needles."

Ryou paled slightly. "Um, why?"

Bakura shrugged casually, his hair falling from his neck to hang around his face, revealing the damp patch on his black, button up Armani top.

As Ryou could recall, Bakura had a surprisingly good taste in clothing. Not to mention it had cost him an arm and a leg as a present, just to stop his dark from stealing it instead.

"Something I'm working on."

"Well," Ryou said, shrugging himself, "most needles are in a handy place known as a hospital. And no decent minded nurse or doctor is going to give 'you' any needles. I mean, look at you! Why don't you just use your hair? That's pointy…"

"And attached to my head. How about pins?"

"You know, for me, I just have a problem giving you anything sharp."

At this point, the spirit became unusually deaf. "I could've sworn it was in here…" he pondered to himself.

"Bakura, do you realise just how scary it is seeing you hold a spoon, let alone a pin?"

"Aha! Found it!" the teen cried gleefully, extracting himself from the closet, clutching the sewing kit.

"Oh my God, it's worse that I thought, you're becoming a nanny."

"Meeeeeeeeh!" Bakura returned with a grin, as he bounded down the hall, and into his bedroom, slamming shut the door.

-------------------

Seto's pov

-------------------

"So it was one of the power points?"

"Yes."

"And the cords were frayed, sparks flew, and a fire started?"

"Yes."

"Seto, stop lying to me."

"I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Mokuba."

"Seto."

The elder Kaiba sighed in resigned annoyance.

"Fine, if you must know, it was that sadistic blonde and his bloody rod. He pointed it at a desk and it burst into flame."

"Why did he do that?"

"Ask me no questions, I'll tell you no lies."

"Seto!"

"Yes?" the teen replied innocently.

The younger teen scowled, and thrust a pile of decorations into the brunettes hands.

"Put these up."

"Certainly."

---------------------

Yamis pov

---------------------

I gently pulled on the shirt, my mind elsewhere enough for me to forget it had to be done up. In the same frame of mind, I pulled on my pants.

What had it been?

That darkness, it bothered me so much. A consuming black that deadened my mind, and had left it full of voices that screamed and pleaded. Voices, that hated, voices that had lived, and were now dead.

'Oh God, Seto… what is wrong with you?' I thought dismally. An emotion welled up within me, a mixture of such confusion I had to pause to consider it. Pity, sympathy, worry,…love…

"Yami?"

My thoughts fell into the present abruptly, as I spun round to see my light standing in the door way. At the sight of me though, he burst into a fit of giggles, his violet eyes flashing mirth and laughter so unlike what I truly felt.

"Not distracted are you Yami?" he asked jovially.

I pondered this for a second, until I glanced down, and felt a faint blush mar my cheeks.

My shirt, crimson as my eyes, was still open and hanging from my shoulders, revealing my chest.

My black leather pants however, were worse, as I had put my left leg in the right hole, and neglected the other leg entirely.

I shook my head, embarrassed.

"Ahh, oops. Guess I am a little preoccupied," I said shyly, pulling off the pants to pull them back on properly.

Well, it had to be done properly, they were tight pants. Nice, but tight.

Once they were on, buckled with black leather belts and sleek silver buckles, I noticed Yugi was still watching him, though with a sad and discontented look of concern.

'_Ah, now that's closer to how I feel…'_

"It's Kaiba, isn't it?"

'_Perceptive little git isn't he' _I thought absently.

I sighed despite myself, and nodded, abandoning the prospect of fixing my appearance. Instead, I turned to Yugi, facing him full on, and let my anxiety show.

"What was it Yami?" he asked softly, the fear he had felt when hearing his dark scream as he had flooding his eyes.

"I don't know Yugi, but…" I paused. Should he know? Know what I sad seen, or more, what I had felt? Should he know, that that darkness left me hollow, terrified for Kaiba, and made the very marrow of my bones freeze like ice?

And if I should tell him, how do you describe in words to a person something you never again want to feel, something that thinking about, makes you hate existence.

"But what?"

I sighed again.

"You can tell me Yami, we've faced a lot together, great foes and dark forces, I'm not scared."

I scowled. "Yugi…" I said exasperatingly.

"Ok, so I'm not scared enough to flip my nut. But please, tell me," he pleaded.

I gave him a considering look. "You do know that I know you tell Tea, Joey and Tristan everything I tell you, except," I added with a glower, "anything 'personal'."

Yugi managed to smile, then it was gone. "If you ask, I won't tell them a thing." He sounded very sincere.

I shook my head anyway. After today, it was either 'Yugi tell them', or 'they bug the hell out of me'. Would you believe me if I said I didn't feel like the second?

"So…" he began, "what?"

My eyes slid shut, as I sat down heavily on the edge of my bed. My fingers pleated at the black doona cover, before I dropped it, and put my head in my hands.

"It's pure darkness Yugi," I whispered.

My lights eyes widened. "But Kaiba, he isn't, he's not, 'evil'. Though, he can do a good impression sometimes, he's not evil."

"I know Yugi, better than you think. When I felt for it, it…, it felt foreign to his body, like a poison."

I looked up from my hands. Yugi still stood in the doorway, but his face was pale, and his violet eyes riddled with concern, and an under layer of fear.

"What was it?"

I shook my head, resting my hands against my knees. I knew my eyes looked sad and weary, but I could stop it now, and I didn't want to. I had to convey to 'someone' how I felt. Being the 'good guy' is a low pay job and requires a lot of extra hours, and sometimes it's just too hard to keep up.

"I don't know Yugi, I just don't know."

Yugi looked directly at me. "What did it do to you?"

My eye's narrowed. Anger flashed in my eyes. "Don't ask me that Yugi," I said softly, but with a underlying tone of warning. "I will not tell you that, and it is not needed for you to know. I don't want you to know.

"But why?!" he began to argue.

"Yugi please!" I yelled, my voice dripping with anguish and frustration. He stopped dead. I let my voice drop low.

"Please, don't make me tell you that."

He didn't need to know, and I didn't need to relive it. And besides, what right do I have to scar his fragile mind…

Yugi sighed, then tried to lightly shrug it off, hitching a smile back onto his face. Key word there is 'tried.'

"Well, at least you got rid of it."

My heart quickened, my eyes narrowing. "Yes," I said in a neutral voice.

Yugi looked around the room, searching hard for a change of topic. Funnily enough, his eyes rested on me, and he gave a weary grin.

"So, um, planning on wearing just 'that'?"

I glanced down.

"What's wrong with this?" I asked indignantly.

"Yugi smirked. "Nothing, but 'I' think having that shirt open is good, but you wanna wear something beneath. You have to remember it's 'Mokuba's' Birthday party, so you can't go around wearing the skanky things you normally wear."

"I do 'not' wear 'skanky' things!" I said hotly.

"Course you don't," Yugi soothed absent mindedly , not paying me the least bit of attention as he went up to my draw and pulled out something white.

"Come here," he said, and I, disgruntled, went to him.

Quickly, he seized my crimson top and yanked it off my shoulders.

"Yugi! So no clothes is different to skanky how?"

He gave me a withering look. "Put your arms up."

"A heist?"

"Idiot. And you're banned from bank movies."

"Then what?"

"Just do it!"

I scowled and put my arms up.

With surprising swiftness, Yugi jumped up, and rammed the shirt on over my head. I, being the perfectly controlled person I am, yelped.

My arms found the holes, but the shirt caught on my hair. I cursed, as I tugged at it.

Finally, it came down, and almost as quickly, Yugi pulled back on my button up. Cursing at the little one's speed, I looked down at my new ensemble.

It wasn't a white shirt, it was a singlet, and now my crimson shirt hung open over it, and, I thought begrudgingly, it looked good.

"Here, I always loved these boots," Yugi said, thrusting a pair of black boots at me. He then pushed me back against the bed, and I fell on it, hissing in indignation.

"Yugi, I 'can' dress myself you know."

Yugi shook his head. "I've seen what you wear, you're hopeless."

"I am not!" I cried, leaping to my feet. The injustice of it all… "The clothes I wear make me look sexy, seductive, passionate-"

"And a tart. Put the boots on, we have to leave soon," he replied, turning for the door.

I scowled. "You're one to talk, you who wears buckles, belts, leather and a 'collar'."

"But that looks 'good'."

"So do I!!"

"Just get dressed," the hikari sighed, as he disappeared out the door.

------------------

Seto's pov

------------------

"All is set now Nisama!"

The elder Kaiba glanced up from the chair he sat in, his eyes refocusing as he felt his mind fall into step with the rest of the world.

"Great."

"Well, all is ready cept for you. Aren't you going to change out of those?"

The teen glanced down at himself, his entire outfit still his damp school clothes, which had cooled his skin all afternoon. And undoubtedly ruined his furniture.

Sighing, he nodded, standing from his chair.

"Yes, I'll change now."

Mokuba beamed. "They'll be here in ten Seto. You might also wanna make sure all your security doors are properly shut, not to mention your bedroom."

The brunette scowled. "They go in there, and I will force feed them rat poison attached to an anvil."

The boy giggled. "I'll let them know…"

Kaiba nodded, smiled at his sibling, before departing to his bedroom, thoughts a tangled mess.

He was at a standstill for what he had to do tonight. How was he meant to act around all of them, and even worse, how was he to act around Yami?

Crimson eyes surfaced in his head, filled him with warmth and astounding beauty. He had always liked Yami's eyes, even when he hadn't liked the rest of him.

He distinctly remembered waking up in the spirits lap, warm and blissfully comfortable, feeling safe as he hadn't felt for many years, only to be forcefully reminded of how he'd gotten there, by the scared and worried look in the other boys eyes.

Those crimson eyes…

But while those eyes filled him with a warm glow, a voice, bitter and cold and cruel, resounded in his head, and banished the light.

It was razor edged, vicious, and worst of all, it sounded like his own.

'Attack,' it had said, 'attack.'

And he'd wanted to, listened to the voice. He wanted to knock them down, twist them, hurt them, break them, hear them scream in agony and bleed like a river.

And he would've have done, if it hadn't been for those eyes.

'Yami,' he thought anxiously.

Seto Kaiba did not scare easily. He did not believe ghosts or spirits, in magick, luck or faith. Or at least, he hadn't.

Yami had changed that, changed him, made him realise the possibilities, made him see.

See, that anything was possible.

So what was happening to him, that he couldn't explain it?

Was it magick, that vexed his mind and whispered in his ear like a bad conscience?"

What voices spoke to him? What poison had struck his mind?

Or was he just going mad…

Voices…

Yes, sounded like a sign of madness, schizophrenia perhaps, but that new and decidedly more controlling part of his brain told him it wasn't that.

It wasn't that simple.

'You're not mad Seto' that voice hissed, and his eyes widened, before he flew to his room, and slammed shut the door. He looked around himself in a slight panic, and despised the fact he felt… scared.

'No, not mad,' the vice hissed again, 'just special'.

'Great, then I am mad, as 'special' is the choice word for the loony', he thought distractedly.

The voice laughed. The sound hurt.

Physically.

Seto felt sick. Sweat was beading on his forehead again, and his hands were clutching at his head.

'Stop it!' he ordered.

'Stop what Seto?' it purred back.

'Get out of my head!'

'I gave you an order today you know…'

'I take orders from no-one, least of all the psychotic smiley voices in my head!'

'You must kill them.'

His blue eyes widened, this time, with the fear in plain sight, before he clenched them shut.

'GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HEAD!'

Silence…

-----------------------

Hehe, he loony loopy loony.

Kaiba: says you…

NC: not ticked off are you?

Kaiba: oh no, course not, you've just made me a nutter. Next thing you know I'll have sold Kaiba corp to work in the United States postal service…

NC: 0 0

Kaiba: note if you can, the sarcasm.

NC: ok, please, read and review, reviews are a form of motivation, they do inspire me, it's just that this fic is becoming so infused with writers block it's sodding amazing.

Btw, I'm sorry, I changed around Kaiba's pov. Let me know please if you like it, if not, I'll change it back to the 'I' and 'My' stuff. It was an accident. Sorry.

Also, sorry if there are any mistakes, but i was so keen to post I just went nuts.


	6. Confuse me

Hello everyone. Are we well? I certainly hope so.

Here is my update, though I personally don't think it's as good as others.

Disclaimer: I wish…

Chapter Six – Get me lost

-

Yamis pov

-

I smiled down politely at the young Kaiba, so very different from his older brother, but then again so much alike.

In my hands, behind my back, sat Mokuba's present, in a box, and wrapped in shiny silver wrapping paper. I had been going to put it in the back pack on my shoulders, but didn't want it squashed.

I was proud of his present.

Yugi stood beside me, chatting animatedly with the boy, and holding out our joint present.

I grinned. No-one knew about my other gift. It was going to be between me and Mokuba.

"But, I'm being rude!" the child exclaimed, realizing we were still standing in the doorway. "Come in guys, we'll go to the living room where you can dump your stuff," he said, a massive grin on his face.

"And where we can put your present!" Yugi chirped at the boy giving him a warm hug with one arm, before the two bounded off down the hall.

I scowled at their enthusiasm. It was like a constant sugar high, a drug trip they could never get off. Their energy just never dropped, and if I even tried to get like that, I'd have to eat coffee for three hours. And that's straight coffee. Not…that I have tried that…

"Hey Yami!"

I glanced over my shoulder, before turning and smiling, shielding the gift with my own hands again as I watched Joey cross over the threshold.

"You know I'm shocked that nothing just happened to you, walking into the Kaiba mansion and living. I'd have thought Kaiba would have some wards up or something for 'you' at least. That, or have a dog warden wandering the premises," I said with an amused grin.

Joey grinned, brushing it off. "Prolly dismantled em for da party."

I smirked. "True…"

"Hello Yami."

Glancing past Joeys shoulder, I saw his sister, Serenity, smiling at me warmly, her long brown hair shining in the light of the sunset.

I smiled back.

"Hi Serenity, how are you?"

Her eye's lit up. "I'm great! Have you heard? I might be moving in with Joey for a while!"

The excitement flashed through her eyes, and her face was soft but alive with happiness.

"That's great. You must be pleased?"

"Oh, how could you tell?" she said with a laugh.

"Guys!"

"Hey Mok!" Joey cried, as the raven head of hair flashed past me to greet the others.

Smiling, I turned and headed off without them, searching for the living room and Yugi, listening as their voices, bright and cheerful, faded behind me.

I looked around, pausing at a 'fork in the road', to consider exactly where my feet should be taking me. The white wash walls seemed to stretch on endlessly, and it was unnerving just how quiet everything suddenly seemed.

I glanced behind me, but couldn't see, nor hear the others.

'Great, just great. Kaiba's house is eating me…'

Yugi?

/Yes/

I need some help

/Doing 'what' exactly/

Nothing out of your filthy little head. I swear, one day your friends are gonna see inside your mind and will only be able to come up with one word.

/And that word might be/

Eeew

/Har har. What do you want/

I'm lost

I heard my light laughing through the link. I scowled at him.

This is the part where you give me directions hikari

Yugi was still laughing. /No, this is the part where I leave you to wander the Kaiba maze for all eternity, horrified that you may die before you ever got shagged. And for that, I'm including 'both' your lifetimes. Have a good walk/

And with another laugh, this one seemingly much more sinister, Yugi closed off the link.

I blinked stupidly at the fuzzy reception I now got.

'I'm so going to kill you Yugi Motou', I thought, grinding my teeth together. 'First Anzu now this!'

-

Setos pov

-

I pulled the shirt on.

A button up, long sleeved.

It was dark blue, complementing my eyes nicely, but I wasn't exactly paying attention. I was more concerned about convincing myself I wasn't a lunatic.

God forbid Joey Wheeler was right about something, especially 'that'.

When at last I had done up the final button I wanted done up, leaving the cuffs open at the sleeve, I turned to look at myself in the full length mirror.

I stopped at the sight, staring at myself.

_Well there you go_, I thought absently, _I do look human_._ Damn, this prozac is making me normal…they said there'd be no side effects!_

I had on long black jeans, hanging about my hips and probably just staying up thanks to the silver studded belt I wore with them. They sat low on my hips, but not low enough to send out 'too' many suggestions.

The rest of the jeans were hung loosely, falling to my feet, which I left bare.

Absent mindedly, I ran my hand through my hair, ruffling it and giving it a windswept look that set everything perfect.

I couldn't help grinning slightly.

I had to make sure this party was a success, for Mokuba.

Therefore, looking human (and desirable), behaving normally, and ignoring all voices was a must. I'd get a cat scan later.

Enticing a Pharaoh was just the extra…

I scowled. _Aww fuck…_

-

Yamis pov

-

_Where the fuck in the name of all things fucking sacred am I!_

Of course, me screaming at me in my 'head' was going to get me no-where. Except a padded cell…

I couldn't have taken that many wrong turns, could I? Was I that crap with directions?

My feet fell softly on the carpeted floors, passing a room every so often, but so friggin lost Yugi was right, I was starting to imagine dying without sex.

At least it wasn't 'again', as far as the 'darling' little light thought.

I cursed my light. _Little bastard,'_ I thought savagely. _'Really' little bastard._

Why couldn't the house have directions on the doors or walls, like a mall?

It should say, 'You are here', then give directions to the rest of the house. Of course, just to spite me, 'this' house would probably say 'You are here, hahaha!'

I reached a branch in the hallway, one side leading off left, and another right.

Still no map.

In a moment of pure childlike frustration, I stamped my foot on the carpet, and said a few 'selective' explanatives.

I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm myself down, stop my eyes from 'actually' bursting into flame to melt the walls and clear a path… I could do it…I'd done it before…

"You either don't like my carpet, or, and I don't doubt it, you are lost."

I whipped around, my shirt flying up as I did so.

_Aww fuck…_

There stood Seto Kaiba, the one person I did not need to see me throwing a tantrum.

_You stupid house! You made me look stupid! …oh great…insanity…_

I broke eye contact for a second, blushing faintly at the look of cool amusement in those deep sea eyes, to check out his out fit.

Ok, fine, to check him out.

His shirt, a button up like my own, was done up and long sleeved, open at the cuffs and open slightly at his throat. It was a deep blue, accentuating his eyes beautifully.

His pants, jeans, were the opposite of my own. Where mine were tighter, more…revealing is a good word, his hung loosely from his hips, giving nothing away.

And his hips!

A shiver of pleasure ran up my spine at the sight.

The black jeans rode a bit low on his hips, but not low enough, in my opinion.

But then again, that looked like his idea, being a tease, even if it was subconsciously.

I was also pleased to see he looked well, cool, calm, his usual self. The word 'sane' also passed my mind.

Consciously, I realised he was looking at me, and I hurriedly forced sound out of my mouth, struggling with keeping my face blush free.

"Glad to see you have something in your wardrobe other than tight black pants and long white coats. Was starting to get concerned you had no dress sense."

The little Yami inside me, the voice who says to quit while you're ahead, or to do this or that and be a good person, all that stuff, his eyes widened in disbelief, and he smacked himself in the head.

"Tosser!" he yelled at me.

'I' wanted to call myself a tosser. _An insult? Yami, you're an idiot._

But Kaiba didn't seem bothered. If anything, his eyes flashed humor, and he smirked.

"Ah, and here I considered cutting you some slack after this afternoon," he said, brushing off the afternoons events with the coolness and casual sound behind his words, "but I'm glad I don't have to bother. Yami, you're a strangely colored hedge hog, crossed with the decorativeness of a pin cushion."

My eyes widened, and I gaped.

Kaiba's eyes narrowed and he chuckled. "Not up to your usual par tonight I see."

I shut my mouth abruptly, and tried to think of a seething comeback, as I glared down at his bare feet, trying to hate them.

"Remember, we should at least keep the insults PG13 tonight, for Mokuba."

"What about when Mokuba's not around? I asked quickly, keen to know when I could have revenge.

"When Mokuba's not around, I'll continue to prove my vocabulary and wit against you. For now, follow me. And don't argue," he added with an abolishing glance, "I know you're lost."

With a smug smirk, he turned and swept off down the hallway. I inwardly seethed as I followed him, feeling explain-ably stupid.

Well, I thought glumly, there's now still a chance of sex before I die…

-

Seto's pov

-

I stepped out my door, and began heading down to meet the others.

Nervously, my fingers drummed against my side as I walked, and as soon as I realised I was doing it, I stopped myself.

Bad habits, I scolded.

I came to the stairs, and my feet flew over them as I descended, looking ahead, to see a flash of crimson vanish down a hall.

I nearly fell down the stairs.

'Blasted Pharaoh', I thought.

Of course, it could only be the Pharaoh, wearing a color that strong and passionate.

I smacked my head.

When I reached the hall, I turned down it, and quietly followed the spirits footsteps. I found him, at a junction, and throwing a tantrum.

'He's lost…'

The thought amused me greatly.

With his back turned to me, I took the time to examine him.

I could see his crimson shirt hung loosely from his shoulders, its color a brilliant match for the teen. Beneath that, I could see the white of another top, a singlet, so he could leave the top open.

And his pants…

Well…, I guess one thing should be said about my rival, he has a great ass.

Especially in 'those' leather pants.

'Oh, my, God. Seto Kaiba, perverted psychopath,' I hissed to myself.

Inwardly beating myself over the head with a skillet, I made my presence known.

With some satisfaction, I watched the teen jump, then spin to face me, those crimson eyes widened in shock, and embarrassment.

I smirked.

I didn't know he could turn that color…

-

Yamis pov

-

'Prat prat prat prat prat prat!'

I imagined the words writing themselves on the back of the blue shirt, in vicious red ink, and felt a surge of satisfaction. I really wanted a paint brush.

Kaiba lead me through the halls with such ease I could feel only stupid at getting so easily lost. And I still held his brothers present!

At last, we exited a hall, and stepped into a large and beautiful living room. That was completely occupied with rambunctious teens.

Everyone bar Bakura and Ryou were there, talking happily, grouped around the young Kaiba, and adamantly demanding he open their gift first.

The young boy looked flustered, but pleased.

When he saw his brother, he leapt from the chair he sat in, grinning.

"Seto!" he cried, "come, watch me open my gifts?"

I watched the brunette carefully, watched the smirk become a smile, and the eyes become a beautiful sea of warmth, soft to the only person allowed to swim there.

I sighed, and the red 'prat' became a gold 'sex god'.

As long as no-one else could see it…

"Of course Mokuba."

And he left me standing there, going over to sit by his brothers side, on the long, soft white sofa's. Mokuba looked back up at me, grinning.

"Yugi said you got lost."

I glared, my face flushing an embarrassing pink, and turned on my light.

You, you 'very' little shit!I snapped at him. You left me looking stupid!

He laughed out loud. "I don't have to leave you for long, you do it fine on your own."

I growled low in my throat. I desperately wanted to leap on him, sit on him, torture and tickle him, but that meant dropping the present.

I inwardly pouted.

…When had I become such a bloody child?

Resigning myself to the fact I had a few more days to have revenge, I ignored the light and walked over to where the others had dumped their bags, and calmly deposited mine there.

Carefully, I made sure to tuck the small gift out of harms way.

I turned, and walked back to the group, to sit on the ledge of a chair, it's occupant turning ice blue eyes on me.

"What?"

He scowled. "Do you have to sit there?"

I frowned. "I am 'not' sitting on the floor. You're all taller than me already."

The CEO smirked. "It has nothing to do with your height. The point is you 'belong' on the floor."

Marik let out a bark of laughter. "Nice Kaiba, Bakura would be proud."

'He has the jackals on his side! That's it!'

I pounced, much to everyone's surprise, especially my own. His eye's widened, before I was on top of him, and we were scuffling and elbowing one another.

Personally, I wanted him to wind up in my lap, and me with the chair.

Mokuba had leapt aside, to beside Yugi, as everyone grinned, and watched us. After a minute, we were both panting, and the group were placing bets.

At last, I sat on him. There were cheers and groans from all around, Marik swearing only to be clipped over the ears by his light.

"Get of me Pharaoh!" he spat contemptuously, glaring.

I smirked. "Too bad I'm the King of Games huh? And no. 'This' chair is even better than the floor."

"I warned you."

"Oh yeah?" I mocked, before I let out a yelp of surprise, as he stood, heaving me off him to crash to the floor.

I caught his shirt as I went though, and he was yanked off his feet, to tumble down upon me.

I stopped breathing.

His face, it was inches from my own, his light pants for breath ruffling my bangs, his blue eyes shut as he struggled to remove himself.

'Reach out to him…touch him…_kiss_ him.'

Gently, I lifted my hand, toward his face, my heart racing.

-

Seto's pov

-

The Pharaoh eyed me with contempt, before he leapt at me.

'Oh great, he's jumping me,' my hentai mind considered instantly, before Yami was on me, and I was battling for the chair I sat in.

I grunted, panting, as at last, we stopped, Yami ending up on top of me.

Not that that was a 'bad' thing.

I glared at him.

"Get of me Pharaoh!" I spat contemptuously, glaring.

He smirked. "Too bad I'm the King of Games huh? And no. 'This' chair is even better than the floor."

My blood raced, and my body immediately froze to his touch as I was reminded of his 'title'. I wanted to rip that from him more than anything… I wanted to _rip_…

"I warned you."

"Oh yeah?" he mocked

I stood, using all the muscles in my arms to hurl him off my body, sending him to the floor. At the last second, he seized onto the cuff of my shirt, and I was tempted to yelp, as my feet gave way, and I crashed down on the lithe body, eyes closing to stop from roving over his body, or displaying my hatred.

My hands immediately shot out, lifting my body away from his.

I could feel him beneath me, feel his body, his hips, the heat of being so close. I wanted to feel it…but I didn't…

I wouldn't last much longer, not when my own body was valiantly trying to disregard my mind. I opened my eyes.

He was looking at me.

Those crimson spheres speaking volumes that I longed to hear. And his hand…it was reaching for my face…

-

Mmm, and I'll stop there. And you all should know, Kaiba was 'joking' about the prozac...

Had to update, got several reviews from a certain doody-head, and that kinda motivated me. Good job.

So, how was that? I think I branched out a bit in this, and tried to be funny a lot, and it probably didn't work, but I was prolly just in a funk.

Anyway, I'm feeling suddenly much more committed to this fic, and that might hopefully last me until I get a real boost.

Till the next chappie then…

RR my mini consciences'. (I'll let you decide if you are the demon or angel, tho, you should know, I have a few demons already…)


	7. Gifts

A thousand apologies. Here is a good chapter for my slackness.

Oh, btw, this sitehad a hissy fit, and I realised a few of you didn't get the author alert. So, sorry to those who have read this chapter, or did, and to those who haven't, here you go. It's just that my beta said she never got an author alert and i thought 'oh poo.'

Shy – squee! Hehe, love you! Glad you found the last chapter funny, hope this one's just as good.

Nachzes Black-Rider – haha, will have to check summary then. I seem to produce random chapters at a time. Thanks.

silver-dagger-113 – hehe, the Kaiba maze, with Seto as the prize at the end. I'd certainly do it…

NtAsMorbid – sometimes I like being mean. Hehe, you got into the chapter? Frankly I sometimes find my shoes more interesting than what I write. Never thought I was that good. But thanks heaps.

NaruCrawford – can't make em kiss, would wreck the path im leading the fic down. No show of emotion yet, but there will be. Soon. Thanks for reviewing, glad you like it!

mellinde – I know, im sorry, im so bad when it comes to updating! Forgive me!

Link – ha, that's ok, was mildly amused when suddenly there's a review mentioning freaky Friday. But I'm glad you like my character portrayal, was afraid I was screwing it up. And the dark seed in his mind? Hehe, soon, very soon.

Vampiress24 – goodo, glad someone else other than me thinks they shouldn't kiss. Not the right time. I love the brawl coming up between the Yami's. Hehe, pyscho's…

aloneforevemore – thank you so much! And im terribly sorry for my lateness, seems to be a recurring thing for me…

doodie head – viva le sexy Yami's and Seto's!

Sango3670 – Thanks so much! Your review made me feel really happy! And I'm so glad you liked FT, and I hope you like it's sequel. Am still panning it out. Thanks heaps!

Yami RavenFyre – omg did I blush when you said that. A billion thanks to you, and Seto and Yami plushies as well. Cookies, take em. Felt like a million bucks after your review, thanks so much!

I'm so sorry if I missed any reviewers. Let me know, please, and I'll fix it up.

Disclaimer: Ha, no, cause all the stuff in Enter the Shadow Realm with Mokuba, Noah, and Kaiba would be so much more candid. I mean, did you see that episode, where it ended "I'm coming Mokuba!"? Honestly, you could do 'so' much more with that…

Dedication: …well, how bout this, if I was seeing someone, I'd definitely dedicate it to them…and no, I'm not 'pathetically' sad, just sad.

Chapter Seven – Gifts

* * *

Seto's pov

* * *

My eyes widened. 

Immediately, the hand shot to my shoulder, and pushed hard. I allowed myself to go back, and used the momentum to land on my knee's, then jump to my feet.

Shock was still dancing through me. Had he been…had he been reaching for me? No…I was losing it…

I glanced back down at the teen at my feet, and forced a smirk.

"Now that you've been put in your place, we should get started."

I sat back down in the chair.

Yami managed a glare, as he pulled himself to his feet. Around us, Joey looked disgruntled, while Marik grinned, hand out toward the other blonde.

"Pay up, he lost."

Joey glared, but thrust his hand into his pocket, extracting his wallet. "Bloody greedy evil sun of a b"

"Now now Wheeler," I cut in, "language. This should be a wholesome and fun filled PG13 time."

Both he, and Yami, shot me looks of disgust.

Finally, the mutt extracted a ten dollar bill from his undoubtedly cheap leather wallet.

Marik smirked. "Today your ten dollar bill, tomorrow the world."

"You call wanting ten bucks greedy mutt? You only think that cause you're"

"Seto!"

I stopped. Mokuba gave me the warning look, and I smiled gently, trying to appease him.

"Sorry Mokuba."

He shook his head, frowning slightly, but trying not to smile. "You're meant to apologise to Joey."

I raised an eyebrow. "Well, we both know that's 'never' going to happen so how bout I just stop instead?"

Joey scowled, while Mokuba rolled his eyes.

"Come on Mok, presents!" Yugi said enthusiastically, picking a random present from the pile on the table in the middle of the room.

"You're not starting without us are you?" A smooth voice cut through the din.

I glanced up, and growled.

* * *

Yami's pov

* * *

I moved away from the chair, over to stand by Yugi's side, listening to Marik, Joey and Seto. 

My body was burning and my heart was leaping in erratic beats.

I'd come so close…

Close to revealing it, everything.

Close…to him.

I barely recovered in time, to hide the emotion rising within me, to push him away, to act 'repulsed'.

How could I, when he was beautiful?

I inwardly groaned.

This.

Sucked.

My eyes wandered back to the brunette, to his eyes, alive with cool amusement, as he taunted Joey.

/Cheer up my Yami/

/Yugi/

/You have other voices in your head/

I glared at him out of the corner of my eye.

/I am cheerful/

/Not to mention a bad liar/

/What/

/I'm your other half, Yami. I'm where our brain resides, so please, give me a little credit/

/You lost all credit and acknowledgment when you left me to be eaten by the house/

/Yeah yeah. Anyway, cheer up, cause you have three days to make an impression on Seto, and moping makes your face unattractive/

With that, he leapt to his feet, his face a brilliant picture of happiness and innocence as he snatched up a present, which he urged Mokuba to open.

My mind had not even been given the chance to absorb my light's words, before another voice cut through the rest, silencing the others.

"You're not starting without us are you?"

Seto growled, and got to his feet.

I smirked.

"Bakura, Ryou," I greeted with a nod, winking slightly at the first albino, who was grinning maniacally.

"How did you get through the front door? And find your way here?" Seto asked with a snarl.

"I'm special," Bakura retorted.

Seto rolled his eyes. "Yeah, we know, but the loony bin is full."

"Mind your mouth Kaiba, or I'll put you in an actual bin."

"This is 'my' house, and if you want to walk out of here with your head still on your shoulders and your nuts in your pants, you'll mind your manners."

"Seto!" Mokuba abolished, embarrassed.

"Just laying down some ground rules Mok," Kaiba said, a smile flitting to his lips, but not reaching his eyes.

I shuddered slightly. I hated when he did that. He looked so dead…

"Well, I know the rules and rules are made for breaking," Bakura replied coolly.

"Then you must be a rule, so be careful, I might just break you," the CEO hissed.

The venom in his voice…

My eyes shot up, to look at his face, but it was smooth, calm, almost open. My eyes then darted to Bakura.

He was pale, and his eyes were wide in shock, and…was it fear?

Then it was gone. He let another even, easy smirk grace his lips.

I kept looking between them rapidly, cricking my neck.

Mokuba, whether he had seen Bakura's face or not, was looking uncomfortable. "Can we open presents yet?" he asked his brother timidly.

"Yes, of course you can Mok," he replied warmly, though his eyes did not leave Bakura's face.

Bakura however, tore his gaze away, looked to Mokuba, and grinned.

"Please, allow me."

With a flourish, he pulled a black box, no bigger than his fist from his pocket, and walked over to present it to the boy.

I noticed Kaiba turn, and make his way back to his seat, which I should have tried to occupy, but didn't.

All I could think of was Bakura.

What was he afraid of?

The others, seated about, immediately pulled back on smiles, and urged Mokuba to open it, even if it was from the Tomb Robber.

Yugi reached out, and pulled me closer, smiling happily. I forced an equally cheerful grin, and sat on the edge of his seat.

Mokuba began opening the present with a furious haste.

Was I losing what was left of my mind? Did I imagine Bakura's fear?

I couldn't of…

I haven't seen him truly afraid in over 5000 years…

"Um, Bakura, what 'is' it?"

Mokuba was holding what looked like a black arm band by it's edges. On closer inspection, I saw it had pins sticking out of it the whole way round.

Ryou looked annoyed.

Bakura looked proud.

"It's a fashion statement, not to mention, if any goons try to grab you again, they'll get schiscabobed!"

Kaiba's eyes narrowed, while Ryou reached out his hand, and gingerly snatched the object away.

"Bakura, you are 'not' giving this to Mok, he'll skewer himself for pity's sake! Sorry Mok," he added, looking at the child apologetically.

Mokuba just chuckled.

Bakura however, looked outraged.

"I spent all afternoon making that! There's nothing wrong with it!"

"Then you wear it."

"Fine!" he snapped, and snatched it away with deft hands.

"Bakura, you should really think these things through," I scolded, amused.

He shot me a very dangerous look.

"Ok, why don't we start now with actual presents?" Ryou said, picking a nicely wrapped silver box.

Bakura scowled at his light.

* * *

"Thank you all so much guys! This has been great!" the raven haired child beamed around at us. 

Scattered about him, were a variety of different colored papers, and before him, a small mountain of gifts.

"Alright, I think it's time we partied!" he said enthusiastically.

Everyone cheered and leapt to their feet.

Kaiba stood, and paced out of the living room. For a horrible moment, I thought he was leaving permanently.

"Seto!" Mokuba called out, grinning, making his brother stop and turn. "Why don't you take Joey and Yugi and the others to get the stuff? I know there's too much for just you to carry, and you can show everyone around!"

The brunette nodded, and waved for the others to follow him, which they did with an impressive amount of noise.

Mokuba turned to me as I approached him.

"I get the feeling you wanted to talk to me, so you can help me cart all this," he indicated his presents with a smile, "up to my room."

I smiled. "Your psychic." 'As long as it isn't a family thing…' the thought made me blush slightly.

I quickly dashed over to my bag, and snatched up the small box, before tucking it gently into one of my pockets, and hurrying back over to the pre teen.

I opened wide my arms, and he joyfully dumped a load of presents there, before taking up some for himself.

He grinned, and headed off, and I followed.

"So, what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Well, really, I wanted to give you something."

We turned a corner, and started up a flight of stairs.

"Oh really? Cause, you know, it being my birthday, I could never have known."

"You know, sometimes you're 'too' much like your brother."

I could tell he was smirking behind the presents. "You know me, I'll take that as a compliment."

"Undoubtedly. He's not exactly a 'bad' person to take after is he?"

"I was about to ask you that."

"What do you mean?"

Mokuba stopped, and turned around in the middle of the hallway they were now traveling down.

"Come on Yami, I'm smarter than most people give me credit for. What's going on between you guys?"

I flushed slightly.

"Ok, and Marik and Bakura mentioned something, and said they needed the 'low down' of the house, but I got the inkling."

I glared at a spot on the white wall. Bastards. Trust them? Yes, like I would a terrorist with a stick of dynamite.

"Yami?"

I sighed. "Nothing. Not a damn thing."

"Meaning?"

"I have about as much of a chance with your brother as I do with that wall. Not only is it a wall, I probably just offended it by glaring at it."

Mokuba laughed, and turned to continue. At the end of the hall, he stepped through a nicely painted door, covered with ravens.

His room was huge.

With all a manner of games.

But, as much as there was, I got the feeling Mokuba hadn't really asked for it, and Kaiba had given it to him to amuse himself when he was out.

Mokuba had walked over to lay his presents on his bed, which was big, and covered in a bed spread with a blue eyes stretched over it.

I lay the other presents beside them.

"So, what did you want to give me?"

I grinned, and urged him to sit on the bed, before kneeling in front of him. I reached into the pocket, and extracted the box. Mokuba's eyes naturally lit up, before he cracked another smirk.

"Sorry Yami, I will not marry you."

I glared. "Nor I you. I'm 5000, and you're 13. Serious pedophilia there kiddo."

"Doesn't seem to bother you when it's my brother."

"He's thirteen?"

Mokuba grinned. "Ok, sorry, continue."

I smiled, and cracked open the box. Immediately, the young boys eyes shone.

"Yami it's brilliant," he breathed.

I grinned. "I thought so, took a little while for me to craft it too. It has protection spells interwoven around it and through it."

He reached forward, his fingers grazing over it softly, and I lay down the box, and took it out.

It shone in the light, it's silver radiance making Mokuba eye's shine even more so. The blue sapphire in the center seemed tinted with black, a nice addition to complement the teens hair.

"What's the symbol called again?" he asked gently.

I smiled. "The Sennen Eye."

"Oh."

I undid the clasp, and moved to secure it around his neck. He leant forward, and brushed aside his hair, then sat back when I was done. He looked down at the beautiful jewel, and I smiled, elated by his awe.

It sat just over his heart chakra.

"It's designed so nobody can take it off but you and me. So you don't have to worry about it coming off, and it doesn't rust, so the shower or swimming won't be a problem."

He smiled happily, then looked up, and lunged forward in a hug.

"Thanks Yami, it even feels warm and comforting."

"A reflection of you Mok."

He pulled away, grinning. "Save the smooth talking for my brother Pharaoh. And thank you, your gift is beautiful."

He smiled at me, then down at it, as he tucked it beneath his shirt.

"I gather you wanted it to be something of a secret, or else you'd have given it to me downstairs, so I'll keep it out of sight."

I smirked. "Another perk: unless you want them to see it, they wont."

"How long did you say you spent working on these spells?"

"A long time. Can't wait for your brothers birthday, I'll be stuffed."

He grinned. "Don't worry about Seto, and don't dismiss him returning anything you feel. He might surprise you."

"What's that spose to mean?" I asked, not daring myself to read between the lines.

"That means I think we should get back down stairs, or they might actually consider your age and mine," he said cheekily, bounding up, away from the bed, and out the door.

My eye's widened. "MOKUBA! TELL ME!" I cried, shooting out the door after him.

* * *

Seto's pov

* * *

God, how I wished they'd shut up! I didn't think it was possible for people to make that much noise! 

I must not maim or disfigure, I must not maim or disfigure….

Joey was jumping around the room, Otogi and Tristan trying hard to restrain themselves from joining him, as he bounded toward the cd player. _'God no!'_

I made to stand, wanting to walk over and stuff him in the disc 1 drive, but he grabbed a cd, and stuffed it in. I grimaced, then winced, as he jabbed at the buttons.

My poor player.

I strode over, of the mind to kill him, and the easiest way would be to snap his neck. Mokuba wasn't back yet, I could even hide the body if I was fast enough…

But what about the others? They'd complain. Oh well, I'm sure I have enough body bags…

Then the lyrics poured out.

'This is the first

Thing I remember

Now it's the last

Thing left on my mind'

And from there, Joey began to sing.

_Oh god, there goes one of my favorite songs…_I though furiously. _He's ruined it!_

My hand curled out towards him. Please, God….

"Nisama!"

My head snapped round. "Mokuba?"

My brother bounced into the room, looking amused and very happy. Yami followed, looking flushed and embarrassed.

Had it been the other way round, I would have murdered the Pharaoh right there, no questions asked. _Perverted bastard…_

/_Look who's talking…/_

My eyes widened. Bad voices…very, bad.

"What are you doing Seto?" I got the feeling Mokuba knew all too well what I was about to do. Still…

"Dancing with Joey?" _Argh. Somebody, shoot me. It's the lowest point in my life._

Mokuba grinned. "That's good of you. How bout you dance with Yami?"

Yami eye's darted to Mokuba, and he shot a venomous look at the boy. I'm not 'that' bad a dancer for heavens sake. And why wouldn't he want to dance with me?

A mixture of feelings surged.

Anger, satisfaction, and a pang of regret.

"That's alright, I think Kaiba was just wondering which way would be best to dispose of Joey's body once he killed him. The cd player won't hide him Kaiba."

My eyes narrowed. Damn psychic spirit…

"For your information, I love that cd player."

He snorted, amused. "And every other one in a store that probably has your name on it."

"Jealous."

"Oh yes, because, you know, I just wanna lease out my name like some common whore."

I growled. The anger rose.

Beside him, Mokuba turned around, and seemed to deliver a look to the Pharaoh that made him wince.

Good, at least he was taking after me in some aspects.

"My apologies Kaiba, seems I'm out of line, I'm sure you're not a really sleezy whore, your name only being on the best products."

Did my fury show on my face? It should, because it sure as hell tore through me with vengeance.

Then he threw me. Totally, completely.

He winked at me, then turned, and moved toward the psycho's.

_He winked at me? Me?_

I turned back to Mokuba.

"Did he just…"

Mokuba grinned. "Yes Nisama, he's not as stupid as you think."

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"Whatever you want it to."

He flashed me a smile, then darted off, into the sea of his friends, where I wasn't prepared to follow.

Honestly, sometimes he's just 'too' much like me…

* * *

Yami's pov

* * *

"You arrogant useless slimy gits!" I spat, when far enough from the elder Kaiba I wouldn't attract attention, and close enough to verbally abuse them. 

I took the next three steps quickly, so I was close enough to physically abuse them, and did so with great gusto, punching and catching the other completely off guard with a knee kick.

Bakura doubled up.

"For fuck sakes Pharaoh, twice in one Ra fucked day!" He groaned, and glanced at Marik, the blonde only holding his chest where my lucky shot had landed.

Thankfully, no-one else was paying attention to us.

"Yes, well, a: I didn't hit you that hard, and b: when I said I was in love with Kaiba, I didn't mean the younger one! So why the hell did you tell him!" I hissed. "Oh, and did I mention you deserve it?"

Bakura death glared me, and I matched him, feeling righteously furious.

Marik glanced between us, and sighed, reaching out for both our hands, and pulling us away.

"Come children, let us discuss this in the kitchen, while we fetch Bakura some ice."

I yanked my hand away with a low growl, but followed anyway.

Yugi shot me a 'don't you dare do anything stupid or dangerous or I'll castrate you in your sleep' look as we left.

I wasn't going to do anything dangerous, I was just going to kill both the un killable spirits. A walk in the park really.

I didn't even notice when Marik lead us both into a pristine, slick and shiny kitchen, and headed straight for the freezer.

Bakura limped over, and sat on the bench. I sighed, and went and leaned opposite him, against another black, shiny bench.

Marik returned from the freezer with a packet of frozen peas, and unceremoniously dumped them in Bakura's lap.

The spirit yelped, then glared.

I, meanwhile, felt sorry for the peas, and hoped Marik didn't put them back…

"Thanks a lot Pharaoh, now I'm probably infertile."

"You're 5000 sodding years old, if you're not infertile by now, we should alert the media. Beside, you're not having kids, can you imagine those little things running round with miniature knives? Hell no do I, or the human race, deserve that."

"I think my off spring would be adorable."

"Then I guess the phrase true beauty is in the eye of the beholder really comes into it."

"Fuck you Pharaoh."

"How bout no?"

"Then I'll fuck your high priest."

I tensed. My eyes narrowed in to dangerously thin slits.

"You wouldn't dare."

He smirked. "Wouldn't I? Wouldn't 'I', evil, psychotic, demon spirit Bakura, enjoy taking the gorgeous servant of Ra? Mmm, let me think about that for about…oh, .3 seconds."

"You wouldn't, because you're afraid of him."

The humor vanished. "What?"

"I saw it before, when you two were having your glare match."

His eye's widened, and Marik seemed suddenly much more interested in our argument.

"I thought I just imagined it, but you saw it too," he said, almost glad. "I thought I really was losing it."

"Huh?"

"You just said you saw Kaiba's eyes psyche out, right? I mean, we were standing there, glaring, and his eye's just flashed this hell born red. I thought I was high, but I haven't had anything today. You did see it right?"

My jaw went slack. I knew Bakura had seen something, but…hell red eyes? Oh ra…

"His eyes changed?" I breathed.

Bakura looked uncharacteristically solemn. "Yes. But why?"

I shook my head. "It could only have something to do with this afternoon, but I swear…"

"Swear what?" Marik questioned.

"I swear I got rid of it."

"Are you certain?" Bakura questioned further. I flushed, and looked at the floor.

"Yes…and no."

Marik snorted. "So long as you're sure."

I glared. "Look, I'm 'positive'. There's no way, if anything, it would have transferred to me, but it didn't, so, next problem ne?"

"You just wanna brush it off like that huh?"

"Yes! Brush brush!"

Marik smirked. "Yeah, cause he wants to know what we got planned."

Bakura grinned. "Oh yes. The plan."

I blanched. "Plan?"

* * *

How was that? I've lost the enthusiasm for writing this fic by hand, then typing, so I'll have to set aside time to type to my hearts content. Other than that, apologies once again, and peace out. 

R&R my voices. Voices…yes, suits.


	8. Arduous

Hehe, hello all, hope you're all well! Here is my next chapter, hope you enjoy it, was hoping to amuse you all before it gets a bit nasty. Not that the humor will stop, ha, no way.

Btw, this .: begins the start of talking in Egyptian, while this :. Ends it. Got it?

leighc for shy – Ha, thanks. Sorry if I'm too much for you Shy, but you're just adorable. Tell your friend many thanks though, and thanks to you too.

Kittengirl – yes, well, I prefer wit to pain and death or stuff like that. Oh, and their relationship evolve? Haha, mmm, I think it might crash before it even tries to get off the ground. You'll see…

Anime-Blade – somehow, I still manage not to delve over the plan too much in this one either. However, you get an inkling toward the end. Sorry, I can be slack sometimes…

crowkeeper990 – yes, 'the plan' /is struck by the bolts of lightening/ bugger. And, I have taken great lengths to improve my evil genius laughter. I nearly have it, I want it perfect.

Nachzes Black-Rider – Ahaha! Well, glad you said it, cause that means I'm not that bad cause someone else was thinking it too. Anyway, at this rate, no-one might get to fuck Seto…

Yit-ha – nope, Yami's sure of himself, so he thinks about the red eye thing in this chapter about as much as he does Anzu being nude. Also, I know you're not, thanks for the advice, but I have to keep those two squabbling for a while, cause Kaiba has that…thing in him that hates Yami.

Tassy – listening to you singing that song would make my day. As long as you sing it in the Russian, or was it german?

aloneforevemore – lol, which voices, mine or Kaiba's? honestly, you gotta wonder which one of us is more of a lunatic these days… but yes, the voices…well, they make an appearance…if that's possible for a voice.

silver-dagger-113 – mmm, everything but A, but that might come later. And yes, most people that review me do become voices, as I try to listen to my reviewer advice. What name do you want as one of my voices? Like…nickname?

Mistress-of-eternal-Darkness – don't you love bad thoughts? And of course Mok is bad, takes after his brother doesn't he?

Sorry I missed anyone, but you know I love you all, right?

Disclaimer: oh cruel fate, why do you mock me?

Chapter Eight – Arduous

* * *

Plan? Plan? They called 'that' a plan! There would be more sense in me saying I was going to swim in a shark tank wearing a dozen bloody steaks and not get eaten!

Of course, I'm half to blame, for leaving the future happiness of my love life in the hands of two people who prefer watching road kill get repeatedly run over then watching the sodding television!

I groaned, unable to keep my mind on whatever the hell it was I was doing, and subsequently irritating Bakura further.

"Ra Dammit Pharaoh! Is it that sodding hard to keep your mind on the dance? Or am I that sexually unattractive that your mind could wander?"

God I was tempted…

"No Bakura, I'm just…"

"Thinking?"

"No. Worrying. And besides…you're not unattractive. You're rather appealing actually, but I'm just not insanely inclined."

Bakura actually blushed. I do believe that was the best compliment I've ever paid the bastard. Actually, it's probably the only compliment. Still, call it insurance, I didn't need to give the spirit any extra reason to hate me when he was trying to play God, or even worse, matchmaker.

"Well, if I'm that…attractive," he blushed again, though obviously hating himself for doing it, "I should be able to make you concentrate."

He seized my hips roughly, and brought me closer, pulling me down as he bent his knee's, and dipped his hips.

Ok, now, I was paying attention. Kinda of hard not to, when a rather attractive teenage boy is almost shagging your leg.

I blushed, but Bakura smirked, and pulled me into it, forcing my hips to move in time with his. Not one to let the Tomb Robber get the better of me, I fought for dominance, allowing the thrum of the music that streamed from Kaiba's player to wash over me, surround me. It made it so much easier. Though being drunk would have also made it much easier to forget…

Bakura's smirk widened, and he leaned in closer. Before I could comprehend how close to me he was, I was enticed into a passionate kiss.

For a 5000 year old dead guy, fuck, he could kiss. I moaned into his mouth, thrusting my hips.

I felt many eye's drift to us now, gazing in mingled shock and horror, but none were the eyes I wanted on me.

'Look at me Seto…'

Mokuba, in the corner with Yugi and Joey, grinned at me over Bakura's shoulder, and winked.

Then I felt them. Cold, piercing. Those beautiful blue eyes, boring into my back. Bakura smirked, before encouraging me into another kiss, then moving to nibble my ear.

I gasped.

"He's watching," he purred, before lightly sucking my earlobe, and thrusting his hips against me. "And fuck, he's jealous. I actually feel like I'm in trouble."

I found my voice, albeit weakly. "Then time for me to move. Thanks for the dance."

I stepped back, and Bakura actually pouted, until Marik stepped forward, 'kindly' offering himself as a replacement. I headed off, toward the table, toward an icy drink that I hoped would most definitely cool me off.

Joey shot me a mildly amused, but moderately disgusted look, obviously wondering if I had lost my marbles. I undoubtedly had, but pff.

I grabbed a drink, not actually caring what it was, and downed it.

"Somehow, I get the feeling you would appreciate alcohol rather than Dr. Pepper," a smooth voice purred at me, and though it was cold, it held a hint of disdain.

I turned. "Why do you wonder? Got any?" I smirked. I would thoroughly appreciate a white Russian right now.

"White Russian?" the brunette said, raising an eyebrow.

I froze. Holy fuck! I said that aloud! What else could I have said aloud? Oh God, I am losing my marbles!

He chuckled. "Not sure about that, if you can make it you can have it, but I've got what I've got. Care to take a look?"

I tried not to blush, and desperately wanted to say 'look at what', my mind behaving rather perversely for a few seconds, before I shook it off.

"Certainly," I said with a smirk, following the teen as he turned, and strode out of the room, full of dancing hormonal teenagers.

I watched his back in silence, wondering if jumping him now was appropriate, or whether I should be patient. I didn't need Bakura and Marik telling me that timing was important.

Besides, he was turning around, speaking even.

Aw crap…

"Huh?" I just love my brief moments of articulacy.

He rolled his eyes, a brief look of contempt passing onto his features. "Still dwelling on it are you? I said, 'I didn't think you liked to dance with the devil, least of all like that.' Heh, and you called me a whore…"

Sometimes, he made it unbelievably hard to like him, he was just…infuriating. Infuriatingly gorgeous.

Dammit!

"I called you a whore cause it seems you sell your name to everything."

"Where as you just sell yourself."

I blushed, but being behind him once again, he didn't see it. "Why does it bother you Kaiba? Jealous?"

My tone was daring, excited, interested. Ra, was I interested.

I watched his shoulders tense, and he turned his head slightly, looking over his shoulder at me. His blue eyes narrowed.

"Of course not. I'm merely concerned my only worthy rival is slipping."

I frowned. "Who I fuck has nothing to do with my gaming skills Kaiba."

"When it's Bakura, I believe it does."

"You're making excuses."

"Am not."

"What are you? Five?" I teased gently.

He glowered. "I most certainly am not a five year old child if I have an alcohol cupboard like this." With that, he turned, and unlocked a cabinet door, swinging them open, to reveal a small fridge, and bottles of rum, vodka, spirits, beer, tequila, tia maria, brandy and ….khalua?

'Gay drink!' my mind hissed at me, but I covered it well, also concealing the fact I knew he had just nicely avoided the question.

"I'm impressed," I said with a genuine smile.

He grinned, pleased. "Thought you might be."

"Planning on sharing this around?"

"Possibly."

I grinned. "Well, shall we?" I didn't allow for any further argument, grabbing bottles, and turning to head back, before stopping.

I glanced over my shoulder sheepishly.

"You first, I don't need your bloody mansion eating me."

He smiled, a genuine, warming smile that lifted my feet off the ground.

His eyes shot to the ground, and then at me, raising an eyebrow. Did I mention I was serious? 'Fuck fuck fuck!'

"Did you just lift off the ground?" both his eyebrows were raised, and he looked slightly bewildered.

"Umm, no?"

He shook his head. I played on it.

"Honestly Kaiba," I said with a smirk, "pissed already?"

He frowned softly. "It was only a cigarette and scotch…" He shook his head.

"You smoke?" I was generally surprised. Though, that could be said to be somewhat attractive. Jealous of your cigarette…

He shook his head again, and looked at me. _God,_ was he gorgeous. "It's a stress reliever, considering I was preparing for the Labrador and co out there."

I grinned lightly. "I'm surprised you don't smoke every morning then."

He smirked. "It's advisable. Come on."

He grabbed a few bottles, and strode off, leaving me with thoughts of dressing up as a cigarette, and lighting my ass off to make the effect perfect.

"Coming Yami?" he called back to me, "it's no fun getting pissed on your own."

I grinned, and took off after him, coming up beside him to walk back.

"So, Yami, why dance with Bakura?"

I blanched. I had to wonder what he was getting at.

"He's attractive?"

"And psychotic. Not to mention he is you're supposed 'enemy'. So, why are you practically shagging the albino when anyone with two collective brain cells to rub together can see both of you would prefer running the other through with rust covered blades."

He said it all very conversationally, though I noticed his eyes kept dancing over to me, as I struggled not to blush.

"Oh, and did I mention that you only stopped dancing once I took notice?"

My head swiveled around, and my face flushed. "Excuse me?" I said, somewhat incredulously, trying to mask my need to throw myself at his chest, rip his clothes off, and proceed to do unorthodox things with the liquor bottles.

He raised an eyebrow. I glared. "I needed to take a break. And this may surprise you, but the whole world does 'not' revolve around 'you' Kaiba. I'll take a break from dancing whenever I want to take a fucking break."

I realised I was losing my cool, and desperately reigned in my temper. His eyebrows though, were still raised, and he stopped walking altogether. I don't know why, but I chose to follow his example, stopping to look him in the eye.

His expression was somewhat guarded, cool, calculating.

"Over reacting a bit aren't you?" he said softly.

"Am I?" Now, God, was I tempted to use the bottles…over his head. I hated when he did this, when he caught me unawares. It was just like in duels, I think I've got him pinned, then he brings out this fabulous new move that makes me think well, I'm fucked.

He shrugged casually, though I noticed his shoulders were somewhat tense.

"Why Kaiba? Bakura not a good enough dancer in your eyes?"

"Actually yes, he isn't."

"Think you could do better?" I purred.

He froze, visibly, before gazing straight into my eyes. A dark passion burnt there, and I felt captivated by those eyes, by that face.

"Should we try?"

My mouth went slack. Try? Dancing? Sure, if you mean the dancing that leads to full blown, passionate, screaming my name sex.

And Ra, I was tempted to say that too…

I smirked. "Why not? But are you as competitive in dance as you are in a duel?"

He smirked, and commenced walking again. "You'll find out when, and if, we dance, now wont you?"

* * *

Seto's pov

* * *

Jealous?

No…

Dance with Yami? Hell, yes.

I had no trouble imagining bringing that lithe body close to mine, twisting and turning with it, teasing him insatiably. But would I lose control?

Would that voice tell me to attack him again?

Would there still be a bloody voice!

I sighed softly as we walked, confused, worried, and, dare I say it, horny.

The action made Yami glance to the side at me, before we emerged back into the main living room, music surging over us again.

Mokuba bounded up, then frowned.

Simultaneously, everyone seemed to realise that Yami and I carried grog. They stopped dancing, and stared at us.

"Nisama, you can't give the guys alcohol!" it wasn't that he didn't believe they hadn't had any before, they undoubtedly had, but it was more the fact that they could get pissed, and he could not.

"I'm not planning on it," I replied, agreeing with him. Hell, last thing I wanted to see was a drunk Joey or Anzu, one preaching friendship to a sofa while the other drunkenly mounted her leg.

Haha, ok, so that thought did make me grin.

Joey, Tristan, and Otogi seemed to move startlingly fast to get by my side. They all held out their hands.

I glared at them.

"Aw, come on Kaiba, you can't withhold the grog," Joey whined.

I smirked. "The only people hear allowed to drink are those over eighteen. As far as I can count, that's only five of us."

"What!" Joey almost roared in abject horror.

Mokuba smiled gratefully at me from behind them.

"Five?" Tristan pondered, glancing around.

"Yes, five. I had a feeling that number might be beyond your span of comprehension, so I'll give you their names instead. Me, Yami, Bakura, Marik, and Otogi."

"Yami and the psycho's get to drink!" Joey asked incredulously, shooting Yami a look of mild contempt.

"Yes. I figured that considering they're over the age limit by…oh, 4982 years, they should be entitled to drink here."

"Oh yeah? And how old is Otogi here?" the other brunette said evilly, looping his arm around the other boy's neck, and tightening.

Otogi croaked. I rolled my eyes, and glared.

"Otogi is over eighteen, as he has to be to be able to own his own store and legally merchandise his stuff. Otherwise," I shot Otogi a glance, welcoming him to interrupt, but due to the tightness around his neck, he declined. "Otherwise, he'd need a guardian to hold his assets."

He couldn't speak, so he nodded. I glared at Tristan, silently urging him to release the ebony haired teen, so I could hand him a bottle

When catching my death glare, the teen complied, albeit reluctantly.

Otogi shot me a thank you look, which I dismissed, before he turned to walk back to Serenity.

"You're not going to drink?" I asked, mildly amused.

He shook his head. "Hmm, now that I think about it, no, none for me, I'll stick with Mokuba and the others tonight Kaiba. Thanks anyway." He gave me one of those disarming smiles that knock brainless girls off their feet, and sauntered away.

I suddenly felt, or heard, Yami, beside me, growling softly. I looked at him, mildly surprised, but his face was suddenly void, and he gave me a puzzling look. Not the voices again…

For lack of anything better to do, I glared at him.

"What about me hon?"

I turned. Oh, Mai.

"Sure you feel like it tonight?"

She paused thoughtfully. "Tonight and no other night."

I nodded, and offered a choice of the bottles I carried. She selected one, flashed me a perfect white smile, and swept off, Joey almost attaching himself to her and offering little whiny noises for some of the bottle.

I was especially pleased when she waved him off with a slightly evil smirk.

Bakura and Marik then pranced up, holding out their hands expectantly.

"And, not only do we want to get piss drunk and undoubtedly destroy the west wing of your house," I glared daggers at them as they quickly snatched away the bottles, smirking their heads off, "but we wanna play a little game. If…" Bakura grinned sadistically, "Mokuba doesn't mind."

"What kind of game?" Mokuba asked happily, choosing that precise time to step over to them. Damn that seemed convenient.

"Yes, what kind of game?" I asked coldly.

"Ha," Marik smirked, "the kind that might get you laid Kaiba."

I blinked. Me? Get laid? Well, not that I hadn't considered it, but who here…

"Why, horny Marik?" Yami returned evenly, a nasty smirk on his face.

.: All the time, but I'll be damned if Bakura and I can't get you two shagged tonight:.

I watched earnestly, curious and irritated as to why the blonde might resort to Egyptian, and when I glanced at Yami, he was blushing something fierce. His eye's blended into the rest of his face well, and had there been no kohl surrounding those lustrous orbs, I might have lost them.

Wait a sec… 'lustrous orbs'!

"So Kaiba, interested?"

I shrugged it off, trying to remain calm. They couldn't affect me if I wouldn't let them.

"Not particularly. I'll watch."

Bakura winked. "Ooooh, kinky."

I glared. "To make sure you don't subject my brother to your lunacy and perversion you morons."

They both chuckled, and started walking back to the living room, the others trailing after them, interested in whatever game they were planning.

Bakura whispered at Marik, but I caught it regardless.

"Sure, that's what he says."

Seeing as how I had nothing in my hands that might prevent me, I made to go after them, aware that if I did, I'd either die, or they would. Hey, I might get to use those body bags after all tonight.

Yet after my first step, a hand reached up to clutch my arm.

I turned, thinking it was Mokuba.

…well…it wasn't…

"Yami?" I asked, mildly bewildered. He didn't want them dead?

You know in ridiculous moments like this, when I, for about a second, don't think, I come up with ridiculous, but nevertheless amusing thoughts. Like the fact that if Yami didn't want them dead, the only reason could be that they must be shagging.

Then my brain caught up.

"Yes Kaiba, that's my name. Use it whenever you wish, but tonight, ignore the psycho's?"

I was tempted to say no. A part of me screamed I should, that same part demanding that the spirit release me, take his filthy hands off me. Yet another part cried out for his touch, and fell in the abyss of his eyes.

I was torn, and I didn't even know why. My feelings raged in a battle, and I was suddenly frightened what the outcome might be.

Those wine red eyes narrowed in concern.

"Kaiba?" the voice called, smooth and full of concern.

I shook it off. Everything, every emotion in me, I blocked it, it being exceptionally easy due to the many years of practice. If these feelings were making me feel so on the edge, then it would be too dangerous for me to have now. Better nothing and sanity then everything and pure lunacy.

"I'm fine. Hand off," I snapped, and was surprised at the look of hurt that flashed across his face.

He released me, and stepped away, looking at his feet. Suddenly, he stepped forward, and placed all the bottles he carried in my arms. I glanced up, inwardly curious as to why he'd return the booze, when he turned, and walked away.

"I have to talk to someone," he muttered, before he had disappeared down the hall.

Inwardly, I grimaced. Had I offended him? I didn't really want him to go, what if I made things worse?

_/Good! Yes Seto, make him hurt, make him suffer. See to it he is torn on the inside before he is burned on the outside! Destroy him/_

I dropped the bottles, clutching my head, barely noticing it as they shattered around my feet.

* * *

Yami

* * *

Just when I thought I had him, just when I thought 'hey, I'm making some progress, though I'm far from first base, it's my turn to bat soon', he throws up every bloody barrier he has, and I'm sent sprawling on my ass by a giant baseball from an evil pitcher.

He hated me, I was sure of it. So why was I bothering?

Ra, I had to talk to Bakura and Marik, and yes, maybe even Mokuba.

So, I followed the hall, listening intently for the sounds of the others, knowing they had gone off to congregate in the giant Kaiba living room for the 'game'.

Then I heard the crash.

I turned back.

Was that Kaiba? Was he ok? I thought I'd go back and find out what was wrong, but he'd probably turn around and tell me to snap a bottle cap in my ass. Though much more polite than that, he is a gentleman after all.

I doubted the others had heard it, knowing how much noise they were probably making, so I made my decision.

I'm a good person, so, naturally, I turned back.

When I re-entered the 'dance room', I was shocked to see all the broken bottles on the floor. Even more so, I was shocked to find no Kaiba. My sense went on high alert, and I tensed as though volts were running through me.

My eyes raked over everything, and when I saw nothing, I made sure I heard nothing too.

I looked back at the bottles.

Where the hell was Kaiba?

"Looking for something?"

I couldn't help it, I jumped. And a gasp tore from my throat. "Kaiba! How the hell did you creep up on me like that!" I gasped, amazed.

He looked pale, eye's dancing around the room before he looked at me. "I guess I'm just creepy."

I swallowed. "So, uhh, what happened here?" I asked, trying to make up for my lack of a spine thirty seconds ago.

Only then did I notice he had a mop and broom.

"Obviously, I dropped the bottles."

"No shit," I said irritably, wishing my temper was not so off tonight. "Want a hand cleaning it up?"

He shook his head. "No, I'd rather you kept an eye on those morons and make sure they don't destroy my house. I'll get this, and meet you in there in a minute."

I was still wary, looking him up and down. He sighed.

"Bugger off Pharaoh," he said warily, and for once, I decided to comply with his wishes, and left immediately.

* * *

First of all, sorry to those of you who do actually drink and like khalua, it's just I've heard around that it's considered a gay drink, so I thought, meh, why not.

Next chapter! The plan is put into action, and Bakura and Marik realise they've gone too far! Yami's in deep shit.

Hehe, R&R my lovelies!


	9. I hate that I love you

Hehehe! It's here, the chapter! The one that begins it all!

My beta read it and had a hissy fit. Mwaha! Enjoy my dears!

aloneforevemore – good thing I'm updating sooner then usual then huh? And normally, can't resist huge chibi puppy eyes…

Nachzes Black-Rider – well, he would have been in this chapter, if certain…circumstances hadn't put pressure on it to be changed. You'll hate me…

To lazy to log in Tassy – glad you loved em ma dear. Can't wait till I start the next chapter! You'll love it too, hopefully, cause everyone is going to die! Mwahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

Mistress-of-eternal-Darkness – you like it so far huh? Don't love me just yet, after this chapter, you'll probably hate me. And know, the evil voice wont hurt Yami. Yet…

shy and leighc – Thank you, both of you. /huggles shy/ too cute! Oh, and Seto isn't getting rid of the voice this chapter, if anything, he's about to surrender to it. /laughs evilly/ And don't let that glare of death get to you leighc, hehe.

silver-dagger-113 – ok, silver, voice of my head, here is the update. Though, you might not love me anymore now, cause the Seto/Yami ness is about to cark it. Mwahaha.

I know too, that a few people haven't reviewed, but I still love you. I'm updating sooner than planned, cause I really have to get this chapter out. Hopefully it's goodness will earn me a few brownie points?

Disclaimer: whines I'm getting paid now, so soon, I will buy it on eBay…

Chapter Nine - I hate that I love you

* * *

Yami's pov

* * *

"Okay," Bakura began, obviously keen to begin regardless of the fact Kaiba wasn't here. I glared at him, but he conveniently ignored me.

"It's a cross between the standard Truth dare and all the rest, and seven minutes in heaven."

Mokuba piped up. God was he innocent. "What's seven minutes in heaven?"

Bakura's grin turned wicked. "Well, I'm tweaking it a bit. In 'my' version, if a person picks seven minutes in heaven, he must answer a question. If he answers it, then he's fine, free, but if not, if he refuses to answer the question, than I pick the person who's going to go into the nearest bed room with him."

"What do they do?"

Everyone looked away from the child, embarrassed. Even Yugi. Bakura's smirk was now contagious, spreading to Marik.

"Why, whatever they want."

Mokuba looked thoughtful, gorgeously innocent right at this moment.

"Could they play duel monsters?"

Bakura could no longer look the child in the face, and turned away, turning his laugh into a hacking cough. Marik took over.

"Of course. They can duel anyway they like."

Mokuba beamed. "Awesome! I hope I get to duel Yami!"

I choked. Bakura and Marik couldn't help it now, and they both fell about, laughing like hyena's on crack. Tears literally poured down their faces, and I gave them the coldest look I could manage, before turning to Mokuba.

"Uh, sure kiddo. If you want."

"Great!"

Bakura, red and sides still heaving, pulled himself to a sitting position. He winked at me.

.: Every Kaiba loves you, you sly executive loving pedophile:.

My eyes must have burned actual flames, because I condemned his soul to hell then and there. Bastard.

.:Go to hell you useless slimy insignificant mofo:.

He cackled. "Been practicing your insults have we?"

I glared, venom practically seeping from my eye's. Then, I stood, pulling a dagger from my belt, before hurling it through the air. It sailed straight and true, embedding itself in Bakura's neck.

He gasped, then gurgled, blood seeping from his neck and mouth in a fountain of red, before he keeled over, to lay motionless on the floor. His body twitched and jerked, as I strode over, and wrenched the blood slicked blade from his neck.

Mmm, aren't dreams wonderful?

"Pharaoh? Hello, stop spacing out! We want to start the game," Marik called to me, wiping the smile off my face.

"Yeah Pharaoh, though I have to ask, nice dream?" Bakura said with a smirk.

I grinned wickedly. "You have no idea."

"Ok," Bakura clapped his hands together, rubbing them, before reaching for a bottle of what looked like vodka, and taking a 'long' draught. He put the bottle down, burped, and continued.

"Ok, who wants to go first? Should I? So I can pick one of you poor souls to go suffer?"

Everyone shifted nervously. Finally, Mai got bored of their nervousness.

"Oh for goodness sakes, I'll go. Mmm, I pick… Anzu. Truth, dare, double dare, kiss, pash, torture, or," she winked at Bakura, "seven minutes in heaven."

Anzu blushed slightly, and sent me a very quick look that made my skin crawl.

Oh. God. No.

"Hmm, I'll take…" she shot the blonde a very meaningful look, "pash."

All the guys looked nervous. Even Mokuba, who edged toward Bakura's leg, before quietly and inconspicuously hiding behind it. Bakura shot an actual smile at the boy, before returning his attention t the game that, now, seemed like torture.

I knew I was in deep shit.

"Ok." Mai smirked, evilly, cradling the bottle in her arms, as her eyes sought out the victim of the day.

Mai, please, no, my mind begged silently.

Yet she looked at me, and I saw something like sympathy and pity shine in her eye's, before it was gone.

Ra no…

"Anzu, pash Yami."

* * *

Seto's pov

* * *

Stupid fucking voices making me waste precious sorrow drowning alcohol.

I mopped viciously, almost stabbing at the floor, as though my mop would be a blade, and the floor was this voice.

I wanted it to stop. Was I getting schizophrenia? Me, Seto Kaiba, ruined at the age of nineteen due to schizophrenia? Was I going crazy?

I shook my head.

No, I couldn't be. Crazy people don't think they're going crazy, they think they're getting saner.

I definitely thought I was going crazy. Thus, I couldn't be crazy…

Oh God.

I finished the floor with a final sweep of the mop, and let it fall to rest against the wall. The glass was gone, and the floor would dry, best I return to whatever game from hell they had begun. As long as my home was left standing, I might stay in a reasonable mood.

I headed off for the living room, the same path Yami had taken less than ten minutes ago. That damn Pharaoh…

Was he doing this to me? These voices, they only kicked in when he was around, so was it him? Playing a cruel trick, a game? But I doubt he could be that cruel.

And how could someone that can smile as he does, be so cruel? No-one with a smile that could rival the sun could do that, it just wouldn't be fair.

Yet, life is never fair.

I stopped.

Wait a second, am I admiring his 'smile'?

I groaned, and started walking again.

No way, I couldn't, no, it wasn't possible. I was cold, frozen, and the only love I felt was for Mokuba. He would never, and could never betray me, thus I was safe with him. But was I falling…

No.

It just wasn't possible.

I turned the corner, and entered the living room, only to be met with the most revolting sight I'd probably ever seen.

Yami sat in one of my good, white leather chairs. His arms were draped down the arm rests, but his hands were digging into the ends, his knuckles white as he almost tried to claw it to bits.

In his lap, almost straddling him, was the cheap brunette, her face millimeters from his, his red eye's tinted with revulsion, as she kept moving closer.

Her hands had come up to hook behind his neck, and every inch closer she went made my stomach turn repeatedly.

I wanted to scream at her, rip her; I wanted her away from Yami.

Hatred surged through me again, though this time it was mostly my own; hatred toward her, for pushing herself against someone who obviously didn't want her, for choosing Yami, when I wanted him.

Screw the self doubt, right now, I wanted him, and she shouldn't of been able to have him.

Then she was close, so close. I couldn't move, all I could feel was this primal hatred, as though she was stealing this from me.

And she kissed him.

Anyone watching as close as I was could see his hands tighten their grip, his eye's clench shut, and the small tremble that ran through him, as though her touch had hurt him.

I almost screamed.

She parted her lips, and I saw her tongue slip into his mouth eagerly.

I shuddered. If I'd had a gun, she would be dead, I know it. Everything I had was focused on how I could hurt her right now.

Then she pulled back.

Those pink coated lips were slightly red from the kiss, and her blue eye's were half lidded, her voice husky as she spoke.

"How was that Yami?" she purred.

Yami had opened his eyes. On his lips were small smudges of pink, and he was breathing unevenly.

She was probably crushing him!

He seemed to falter. His eyes were betraying him to me, as were his hands, still desperately clinging to my furniture.

"Absolutely repulsive," I drawled. I found my voice! Hurrah.

Every head turned. Mokuba was up instantly, bounding over.

I realised everyone else had been grinning stupidly, mostly all the guys, as the tell tale thought 'better him than me' flew through their heads. Everyone though, except Bakura and Marik.

They seemed to be looking at Yami with genuine sympathy.

"No body asked you Kaiba," she hissed at me.

"And you think that will stop me," I countered, glaring at her.

My eyes shifted to Yami. His eyes, those large soulful orbs, seemed to be begging me. My own eyes widened, perplexed. What could he beg me for?

I looked closely, and almost gaped.

Those red eyes begged forgiveness.

"Ahh, Kaiba, good to see you're back amongst us. Care to play?" Bakura asked, his grin evil.

I snorted. "Not bloody likely, if it means I have to 'play' with 'her'."

Bakura waved his hand. "Course not, it was merely part of the game. Truth or dare and all the rest, mixed with seven minutes in heaven. Come on, what are you afraid of?"

I didn't hesitate. "Her," I said, pointing at the brunette 'still' in Yami's lap.

"Well, if we keep her away from you, will you play?"

I thought. Seven minutes in heaven…then all the kiss, pash stuff. I didn't like my chances.

"Please Nisama!" Mokuba pleaded beside me, using that puppy dog look I can never hold out against. I groaned, realizing it was a losing battle.

"Fine. Whatever, let's get on with it."

I followed my brother to his seat, which was past Yami, and still, Anzu.

He looked so uncomfortable, that I stopped.

"You've over stayed your welcome there I believe," I said coldly to her, wishing I had the power in m eyes to make her burst into flame.

She glared, but got up, and with am ugly look, went to sit back down by the other girls, near Tristan and Joey. I glanced at Yami, only to see him gazing at me with an expression of gratitude. I inclined my head, and went to sit down, Mokuba pouncing into the seat beside me.

"Ok, Anzu, I believe it's your turn."

Her gaze flicked round. I wanted to claw her eyes out. In his chair, Yami reached over to snatch up a bottle that had sat in front of Bakura. He didn't hesitate putting it to his lips, and drinking.

"Marik," she said finally, not wanting to pick on her friends.

The blonde grinned wickedly, paused, and glanced at Bakura. He shook his head slightly, and the spirit returned his attention to the brunette.

I raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment.

"Mmm, I pick double dare. And my cohort shall be…Mokuba!"

I tensed, my eyes shooting to Marik's, warning, then back to Anzu's. My glare was precise, sending out the perfect message: one wrong move and I'll sell you to the black market as a door mat.

Beside me though, Mokuba sat up eagerly, expectantly.

"Okay, I dare you both to…" Mai leaned over, whispering in her ear. She giggled, stupidly, but shook her head. "I dare you both to switch clothes."

Mokuba blushed. "Here!"

She shook her head. "No, of course not, your brother would butcher me."

"I'll butcher you anyway," I countered nastily.

Marik didn't look all that supportive of the idea either. "Anzu, you moronic git, I'll suffocate. His clothes are too small for me."

"Tough. Now, go out of the room, Yami, you go with them. Let them get undressed in different rooms, then when they hand out their clothes, swap them over."

Yami glanced up from where he'd been fingering the rim of the bottle. I was startled to realise it was completely empty.

That had been straight Smirnoff vodka.

Now, it was being replaced, a bottle of gin close by.

Yami nodded though, and stood.

"Come on Mok, Marik."

Mokuba bounded up, shooting me a smile. "At least I want suffocate like Marik," he said, grinning.

I nodded mutely, watching as the three disappeared down the hall, until I heard two different doors shut.

I sighed, and closed my eyes.

"So, is he a good kisser?" Serenity finally asked. My eyes snapped open.

Anzu blushed. "Well, he is, I know he is, but I don't think he was really trying."

I inwardly snorted.

"Mmm, well, maybe he didn't want to seem too eager," the red head consoled.

Now I couldn't keep the smirk off my face, and I turned away, instead looking to Bakura, who was likewise smirking off his face.

He made a face, and moved to sit by my side.

"Totally clueless," he muttered.

I nodded my head in agreement. "God, I step out of the hall, and nearly have a cardiac arrest. Talk about revulsion," I replied quietly.

Bakura snickered. "Poor Pharaoh. I'll never let him live it down."

I nodded my agreement.

"So, priest, anyone here you're interested in?"

I snorted again, and gave the spirit an appalled look. "Bakura, that's almost as bad as asking me 'how's your love life'. Besides, it's none of your business."

"Well, I'm bored enough to make it my business."

"How very refreshing."

Bakura lounged forward, draping his arms over my shoulders. He chuckled, when he felt my whole body tense, my breath hitching.

"Now now Kaiba," he purred in my ear, so close, his breath tickling my neck and brushing across my cheek, "there must be 'someone' here you like enough to…"

I glared at him out of the corner of my eye. "No. Piss off."

One of those pale hands wandered from my shoulder, down my back. If I wasn't on edge before, I was now.

And that hatred… Now it wasn't mine.

I panicked, and tried to push him away. I couldn't risk it, couldn't risk hurting him like that force would want. Sure it was Bakura, but it was just…wrong.

"Kura, get off," I hissed urgently.

"No," he purred again, sliding even closer.

_/Hit him! Hit him now/_

"Bakura!"

The voice thundered across the living room, from the hall, and Bakura leapt from me as though I was a frayed electric cable. I looked up, across the room, as did everyone else, and there stood Yami, Sennen eye burning, with a 'very' angry look on his face.

Though, it looked to be crossed with a slightly pissed expression.

Still, I was grateful all the same.

Bakura looked sheepish, eye's on the Pharaoh, whose expression was still severe. No-one else made a sound, until he cleared his throat.

"And I present," he said gruffly, shining eye fading, "Morik and Makuba," he said with a slight slur. No-one pointed out his mistake.

I raised an eyebrow. Yep, he was definitely feeling that vodka now.

Then Mokuba trounced out.

I laughed.

He was in Marik's tank top, with the lavender hood pulled up over his head. The long black pants dragged around his feet, and the millennium rod dangled low around his waist.

I was shocked though, when he threw back the hood, to reveal his normally raven colored hair was platinum blonde.

I think I choked.

He smirked.

The others all applauded, laughing and reaching out to touch the boy's hair.

"It's real!" they cried in delight.

A sound of disbelief and horror escaped my mouth.

"It looks so good Mokie!" Yugi praised. Bullshit!

"Thanks guys," he said, beaming. "It was just Yami and Marik wanting it to look right. They say it will come right out as soon as I ask one of them."

I breathed a sigh of relief. Thank. You. God.

"What do you think Seto?" he asked, smiling.

"Nifty." He grinned.

"And now," Yami interrupted, a look of devious delight etched onto his face, "I force into the lime light the new Marik." And with a wrench, he threw Marik from his hiding spot at the corner of the hall, into the center of the room.

There was a stunned silence, before laughter ripped through it, and Marik actually blushed.

Mokuba's new white shirt was stretched across the top of Marik's chest, but didn't make it past his ribs. It was obviously painfully tight around his arms, and he was lucky Mokuba hadn't been wearing his blue jacket.

The pants though…

Mokuba had been wearing long black pants, that flared out around the bottom, a nice affect that had complemented the look.

These pants didn't go past his knees, thus, he could barely walk, and all he had covering his ass was a pair of rather dashing boxers that were decorated with squirrels juggling acorns yelling 'go nuts'.

Not only that, but his normally blonde hair was ink black.

Even I managed a chuckle.

He glared at Yami with a look of absolute loathing, before straightening up, and waving a hand over his body.

Mokuba's items of clothing dissolved to be replaced by his long purple cloak.

"Hey, that's cheating!" Anzu cried.

"No, it isn't!" he retorted. "You never said how long I had to be like that. If you're not specific, your problem, not mine."

She glared daggers at him.

"Will Mokuba get his clothes back?" Malik asked, curious. As was I.

"Yeah, they should show up in his room sometime."

"Sometime?" I echoed.

"Yeah, so don't ever move."

I sighed, rolling my eyes.

"Well," he said, rubbing his hands together and smirking evilly. "I believe it's my turn."

Mokuba half crawled over to sit back beside me, after Bakura had scooted back to his original chair, receiving another quelling glance from the now obviously pissed Pharaoh spirit.

Said Pharaoh was sitting now with his light, on the floor by his friends. He had in his hand the bottle of gin, and it was near empty.

I felt a tinge of worry.

"Mmm, well, I pick Yami."

He groaned. "Fine," he grumbled.

Anzu leaned over, and whispered in his ear. He made a disgusted face that she didn't see, before pushing her away. She looked particularly put out.

"I pick…" he looked over at Bakura, long and hard, and everything clicked.

I almost 'screeched' my anger at him. He hadn't ordered Bakura away from me for me, he'd done it cause he wanted Bakura for himself!

Damn him!

But then again, why the fuck do I care? Fuck the Pharaoh, he means nothing.

"Seven minutes in heaven."

My eyes were drawn back to him. How could he? He knew Marik would do it for him, let him go off with Bakura. I bet they planned this! My blood boiled in rage.

Anzu was giving Marik a look of particular devotion, pleading with those blue eyes.

"Ok, here's your question, and if you refuse to answer, I pick the person to send you away to a room with."

He nodded, blinking a little too much.

Marik smirked. "How long is your dick?"

Yami flushed scarlet. "That's none of your business!" he spat with venom.

"So you refuse to answer the question?"

"Obviously."

"Great!" Marik chirped, Bakura smirking with such a devious expression I longed for nothing more than to rip it from his face.

"Then you and Kaiba toddle off down the hall into that room and have fun."

My head whipped around.

_Me!

* * *

_

Yami's pov

* * *

I can't believe I was going to do this. There was just no way. And what if he refused?

I clutched the bottle tighter in my hand. If I didn't have this, my nerve would have fled me by now. Not to mention I knew I was mildly drunk, and should have sobered myself up with Shadow magick, but hell, life was so bloody easy when logic took a vacation.

So I got up, leaving my bottle on the floor, and stumbled slightly past Marik and Bakura, who grinned. I glared.

Seto was gazing at me numbly, before he got to his feet, still obviously shocked, and followed.

Mokuba grinned. "Looks like Yami and Nisama have seven minutes to duel."

Bakura and Marik cracked.

I inwardly shrugged. Such was the innocence of the young. Kaiba followed me down the hall, and through the door.

I didn't know how I was going to do this.

Bakura had said that I should act as though I was following out the dare, as though it was a game. But before we left, I had to tell him, tell him that he meant something to me, that what we'd just done, if indeed we did anything, meant a lot to me.

If he refused my advances, well, I was screwed. Or more, I wasn't, and that was the problem.

I groaned inwardly. Please Ra…

I entered the room, and waited for Kaiba to come in.

God he was beautiful, could even be god himself. His perfect ivory skin, rich dark chocolate bangs, and those sapphire eyes that remind me of the deepest parts of the ocean set me alight every time I see him.

It was too hard hiding, too hard pretending. I had to tell him.

He strode past, and sat down on the edge of the bed, sighing at the impending boredom.

I swallowed hungrily, and shut the door with a soft click.

"Seto," I purred, stepping forward.

He looked up. "Seto? Don't you mean Kaiba?"

I shook my head. "No, I mean Seto, cause that's the name I want to scream."

His eye's widened, and he made to stand, but I reached out, and pushed him back onto the bed.

He went to roll, but I used my body, pinning him with my knees and hands where he lay, watching as his eyes widened, and he froze.

"I want you Seto," I slurred, "I want you because I love you, and seven minutes is not long enough."

I leant forward, and attacked his neck with my lips, sucking, nipping, biting. He yelped n shock, and tried to throw me off.

"Yami, no, stop! What about Bakura!" he gasped, panicked.

I laughed. "Bakura? Hell no, he was just helping me, helping me get you."

I moved down again, and went for his lips. He turned his head away, and tried to buck me off again, but now, I pinned him harder, using the strength of the puzzle. A soft cry tore from his throat.

"Yami, don't…" he said weakly, looking deep into my eyes.

I ignored him. I had him, beneath me, those shining eyes, luscious lips, perfect and flawless skin, all of them were now mine. I had him.

I swept forward, and pressed my lips to his.

He froze, those gorgeous blue eyes widening, before he clenched them shut, so I never saw the tears.

I moved down, kissing that proud jaw line, his neck, the pulse leaping erratically, before I pulled at the blue shirt with my teeth.

It wouldn't move, and I snarled in frustration, releasing his wrists to attack it with my hands, fumbling with the buttons.

Almost immediately, he pushed against me, trying to throw me off, unbalance me and flee.

Why would he want to flee?

The puzzle glowed, and he was yanked back to the bed, his hands being bound by lengths of invisible cord.

I tore the last of the shirt free, as he parted his lips. I foresaw the cry that would have echoed down the hall, and pressed my lips to his, swallowing it.

As I kissed him, first softly, then roughly, my tongue gliding along his bottom lip, begging for entrance, my hands slid down to those damn pants that had taunted and teased me all night. I tugged, and he bucked his hips again, before trying to sink into the bed, away from me and my hands.

I growled possessively, and thrust down on him.

He moaned into my mouth, allowing me the entrance I sought. And Ra, he tasted divine.

Breathing heavily, I pulled back, my hands once again trying at those pants that hung low on those slender hips, when he spoke.

"Yami, don't," he pleaded, voice weak, breathing labored. "Please…"

I froze.

_Don't? Please don't?_

Oh Ra, what was I doing? I gazed down at the beautiful being in abstract horror, realization.

I had been 'forcing' myself on him.

I had restrained him, till he, Seto Kaiba, had been reduced to pleading.

Revulsion, hate, anger and self loathing welled up in my chest, as I finally saw the tears that threatened to spill from the crystalline blue eyes.

_Sweet Ra, what had I done?_

I leapt off the bed, away from him, instantly sober. I immediately removed the cords that held him, and he instinctively curled up on himself.

"Seto, I'm so sorry," I sobbed, walking forward, trying to appease him, begging his forgiveness like he had begged me.

He shied away. "No," he choked, and managed a glare. "Get away from me."

"But Seto, I didn't mean it! I…I love you…"

"Funny way of showing it…" he whispered, a single tear slipping down that smooth cheek.

I backed away. No…

I fled.

I hurled open the door, and took off down the hallway, tears bursting free and spilling down onto the soft white carpet.

My red shirt billowed out, as I dashed straight through the living room, barely noticing the others as they stood, crying out to me.

All I could do was run, but I'd never escape what I'd done.

* * *

"What the hell happened?" Marik asked, leaping to his feet, only for Yami to breeze straight past him, tears flooding his face.

Everyone was on their feet, shouting out to him, but he disappeared down the hall.

Mokuba was worried and confused.

"Does this mean Yami lost the duel?"

* * *

Ain't Mokuba just adorable.

Woops, poor Yami, or should it be poor Seto? Aren't I evil…mwahahaha. Next chapter: evil takes hold, Seto gives up fighting!

R&R my sweet though slightly evil voices!


	10. Giving it Up

Mistress-of-eternal-Darkness – lol, but I love cliffies!

Elsalhir Erestar - /feels guilty/ well, it's about to kinda get sad. But will hopefully stay funny. And that's ok, I'll make sure to watch my paragraph stuff, or try.

aloneforevemore – of course I'm evil! And sorry this took me so long. School…

yaoi girl – yes, this is indeed a yami/seto fic, but let's just see where it goes, k?

NaruCrawford – yep, it just made things worse, and I'm sorry this took me so long, and thanks for reviewing!

Vampiress24 – Nah, I didn't think of that, I've heard of it tho, and so I adapted it to suit what I needed. Hope you like this chapter just as much, tho is sad…

shy and leighc – haha, thank you ma dears, and huggles to you/gives huge hug/

Nachzes Black-Rider – LOL

Maris – yes, you're right, I like the way you think. But, Yami won't get to say any of that for a while now. Oh, and thank you very much, reviews like yours make me wanna write forever. /hugs/ thank you

Anukis-san – Lol, thank you, glad you like it, and sorry I took so long.

silver-dagger-113 – yep yep, Seto is gonna go bonkers!

cherry-star-aus – I'm very glad.

Elsalhir – lol, well, they most definitely wont be jumping into bed with one another for a while now.

Yami Pandora – I am so 'so' sorry!

SoulStealerReigns4ever – lol, I promise myself when I start a fic, that no matter what, I'll finish it, so even if I'm a little late, I'll eventually update.

BH – Pash is another name for, I guess, french kissing or tongue, and I considered spin the bottle, but I wanted something different. Mmm, the near rape is what will now push Seto over the edge. And more than a month! I nearly had a cardiac arrest when I realised you were right! Your review made me update my ass, so thanks a lot.

Disclaimer: Hahaha, I wish……alot…

Chapter Ten – Giving it Up

* * *

Seto's pov

* * *

How could he? How…

I curled myself into a tighter ball. That dream…that _nightmare_…it was real…oh _God_, it was 'real'. Smile be damned. Life wasn't fair, and he…Yami, was a liar!

Tears slipped out, tears that shouldn't have been there. He had…he'd been going to…

A sob tore from my throat.

_/Hurts, doesn't it Seto/_

I lifted my head, fear shooting through me.

_/Who are you/_

_/What, no 'what' are you, Seto/_

_/Leave me alone/_

_/Why? He hurt you, didn't he? The one you thought would never…because of his 'smile'/_

_/Piss off/_

What did I do to deserve this? Was I a bad person? Had I some ancient karma due me? Did I run down toddlers in my past life!

I mean, 'fuck'!

_/Of course you don't deserve this Seto. You are better than this…better than them/_

_/You don't know them…or me…/_

_/I know you all better than you think. I know that you are tired Seto, tired of having to be so strong, tired of all the things life throws at you. You're tired. Why not rest?.../_

_/Mokuba/_

_/I will care for your brother. No harm will befall him…if he is on our side/_

_/Side/_

_/Of course Seto. They're all against you. The traitor Yami, the other dark spirits, plotting against you. And you're not as strong as you were. They've weakened you/_

_/They have/_

_/Of course. The dreams, the nightmares, those were all the doing of the Pharaoh. He has the power to do so, all that magick. He is jealous of you, your beauty, your strength. So he weakened you, and tried to take advantage of you/_

_/He…he said he…l-loved me/_

_/A lie, to make it seem 'alright'/_

_/But I…I l/_

_/No! You don't! Another lie, another deception! They all hate you/_

_/But…/_

_/Trust me. Let me take the pain away. Let me help you…/_

_/No more pain/_

_/No more/_

I let my eye's slide shut, as that presence, warm and almost comforting, came forward, reassuring me.

I slipped away, from consciousness, from pain, deception, lies…

And he took over. He claimed everything, body and mind, and for once, I was happy to let someone else take the reigns.

I was happy to simply cease.

* * *

Yami's pov

* * *

What had I done? How could I? I had betrayed him, ruined everything, and hurt him. It wasn't fair!

Tears streamed down my face, as I stumbled along, frantically, desperate to escape this mansion, my mistake, and those haunted eyes. I hurried past a small wooden table, supporting a probably expensive vase, when my foot caught. Both myself, and the table, with the expensive vase, went crashing to the floor.

I rolled over, and curled up, trying to stop the tears.

"Yami!"

I blinked, trying to see through my small river of sorrow.

"Kura?"

"Look, I don't know what you did, but 'nothing' gives you the go ahead to call me 'Kura'. And speaking of which," he said, pulling me into a sitting position, Marik standing just behind him, "what 'did' you do?"

I hiccuped, staring at them both with a helpless expression. Ra, how can I even say it?

"I-I…I," I paused. Seemed 'I' was all I was going to get out.

"Always knew you were self orientated, Pharaoh," Marik said with a tentative smirk.

I took a deep breath. I had to get it out, they had to help me fix this. They had, after all, gotten me into it.

"I didn't sober myself. I….lost control. He's so…beautiful, and I just….lost control."

Bakura looked very serious, gazing straight into my eyes. "What did you do?"

"I…" I sniffled, "I pinned him down….and he begged. He pleaded with me that I didn't…"

"Fucking hell Pharaoh," Bakura swore, looking, for a second, mildly distressed. "Why the hell would you do something like that? How the fuck could 'you' lose control?"

"I'm only human!" I cried, completely distressed.

"Though we have our theories," Marik countered.

"Fuck you both! You both got me into this, help me!" I begged, dignity forgotten, as I decided to throw myself at their mercy. I must have looked truly pathetic, for they both took instant pity on me.

"Calm down Pharaoh, we'll help. It'll be…alright."

I nodded, and hiccupped again, as they began pulling me to my feet. While Marik held my arm, Bakura pulled my arm over his shoulder, and as a big awkward mass, we staggered back toward the living room.

When we got there, everyone was all over us.

"Yami, what happened?"

"Are you ok?"

Anzu pushed forward. "Did that bastard do anything to you?" she gushed.

I managed a glare. "He has caused me no more suffering than you have," I said coldly. She stared, shocked, while Mokuba, behind her, sent me a look of praise that made guilt devour me.

"So, Yami, what happened? Where's Seto?" the boy asked softly.

I swallowed. Ra, what do I say?

"Right here Mokuba."

Everyone jumped. Everyone. Even Marik and Bakura must have leapt about a foot in the air. I whipped round. His voice had been so cold and sharp, like the cutting edge of a knife. His normally sparkling sapphire eyes were steely blue, and his expression was cold, calculating, and point blank terrifying. He looked like the Seto Kaiba I first met, the hate filled, dark Kaiba that would crush whom so ever got in his way.

"Seto?" Mokuba asked softly, confused.

He didn't even look at him, instead, turning to face the others, grouped around me, supporting me.

"Leave, now, and I'll spare your life, Pharaoh," he said coldly.

My eyes widened.

"Kaiba, I"

"I don't want to hear your excuses, or your blithering attempts at reprisal. Leave, now."

"Seto!" Mokuba cried out, a look of anguish on his face, "you promised! You can't kick him out!"

That piercing cold glare hit Mokuba like a bullet train, and the boy staggered back, shocked.

"I'll do whatever I wish."

Joey bristled, as did just about everyone else. They, however, were not as vocal as he was.

"Fuck you Kaiba! This is Mokuba's night, and you can't just ruin it for him! And if you have something against Yami, you have something against us!"

"Absolutely," the brunette countered, smirking dangerously, "but I was merely indicating a warning, for the child's sake," he said, carelessly waving his hand in Mokuba's direction.

Mokuba puffed up, indignant.

"Seto, I don't know wh"

"Silence!" he thundered, startling the poor child back, till he clung to the wall like a shadow, petrified.

We all froze. Never before had Kaiba taken such a tone with Mokuba.

"Kaiba, calm down, Mokuba didn't do anything!" Ryou cried out, scared. Bakura instantly left my side, going to him. With a special tenderness, he took the boy into his arms.

"Kaiba, look, I'm sorry! Just don't take it out on the one person who cares about you," I called.

His eyes swung back round, focusing on me.

"I gave you the only warning you'll ever get, now I will remove you by force."

Tristan and Joey stepped forward, Otogi flanking them.

"Dat so Kaiba? Then you gotta get through us!"

He grinned, a feral twisting of his face. My eyes narrowed. "Certainly," he purred.

All three of them lunged forward, only to freeze mid air. I gasped.

Kaiba stood, hand outstretched, his eyes glowing that hell red. His face was emotionless, as he commanded the bodies of my friends. Then, with a casual flick of his hand, he sent them flying. Yugi cried out, as Joey, Tristan and Otogi flew through the air, only to disappear down the hall.

I heard the front door slam open.

He turned back again, pointing at Yugi, Ryou, Serenity, Anzu, Mai and Malik. They lifted into the air.

"Seto, stop!" Mokuba pleaded, eyes now shimmering with tears, as he watched his friends being forcefully thrown from the house.

Ryou was ripped from Bakura's arms, as the group was flung down the hall, and out into the night. Bakura snarled in fury, leaping up and diving at the brunette.

"Bakura no!"

Kaiba raised his hand, but I beat him to it, flinging out my own to snare the albino back toward me, to stand at my right, with Marik at my left. He shot me a look of loathing.

"Who are you?" I demanded, pushing aside my tears and heartache. Now, I had to be the Pharaoh.

Kaiba smirked dangerously. "I'm Seto Kaiba. Honestly Pharaoh, you're not that drunk are you?"

My eyes narrowed. "Not anymore."

"How convenient."

"Look, I don't know who you are, but you're not welcome here. Piss off back to whichever hole you came from," I growled.

He laughed, a cold, cruel sound that tore at my heart, and made all of us wince.

"Oh Pharaoh," he purred, red eyes flashing, "I've never left. I've always been here. You just…missed me."

My eyes widened, and I took a step back, abject horror on my face. No…

"The darkness!"

"Yes," he said, grinning sadistically.

How? I had expelled it, even had it attack me, which should have freed it from Seto, how could it possibly have survived? Was I losing my strength, my edge?

I paused. Bakura, Marik and I were all a darkness, spirits from the past or from the darkest recess of ones mind. Did this mean…

"Seth?"

He laughed again, throwing back his head.

"Ha, no Pharaoh, I am not the High Priest you loved. I am something else. Think hard, I'm sure with some time," he growled, "you might just remember me."

And he flung out his hand, catching us all off guard, trapping us in suspended motion.

"I'll give you a clue, Pharaoh. We've dueled before, and you sent me to a living hell! Now Seto has given me control of his body, and after what you've done, I have even more of a reason to seek vengeance upon you! I will make you, and all your friends suffer for the agony I have felt, and the pain you put this boy through!"

He wrenched his arm to the side, and I was slammed against a wall. The breath left my body, and stars burst in front of my eyes, as a pain filled gasp escaped me. Before I could even get my bearings, I was moving again, and felt the cold night air hit me, as I was thrown out, into the night.

I hit the ground hard, and everything went black.

* * *

Normal pov

* * *

Kaiba smirked, as he observed the giant dent in the white wall, the plaster having crumbled under the force at which the dark spirit had hit it. His eye's slowly burnt back to the steely blue, till he looked as he always did, cold and distant.

In the corner, Mokuba cowered against the wall, for the first time in his life, truly afraid of his big brother.

"Seto," he whimpered, "what have you done?"

The cold gaze snapped onto him, and he sank further into the folds of the lavender jumper he wore.

"I have done nothing!" he spat, glaring at the young boy with hatred. "It's them! They've made my life a living hell! Now, I'm going to have my revenge; now, they will be the ones to suffer!"

"No Seto! This isn't you! You'd never do this, you're not evil!"

"Aren't I?"

Mokuba gasped, before glaring, determined, as he stood, pushing the vibrant blonde locks out of his eyes, and striding toward his brother.

"No, you're not, and I don't know what you are, but I do know that 'my' brother would never hurt me, or his friends!"

"They're not friends!" he roared, startling the boy into taking a step back.

"Yes they are!" Mokuba screamed back, "And 'you' aren't my brother! Where's Seto!"

The slender hand shot forward, and snatched at the purple jumper, yanking the boy forward, and off his feet, so that he dangled before his brother, at the man's mercy. His blue-grey eyes widened in fear.

"I 'am' your dear brother, Mokuba, and if you raise a word against me again, you'll regret it. Remember, 'Mokie'," he said mockingly, "I rule this household, and you will do as I say. You're on my side, or theirs, and I know, you'll never leave my side."

With that, he hurled the young Kaiba back, the boy crashing against the nearest white sofa, yelping in pain and toppling it over.

The brunette laughed cruelly, turning to leave.

"I pick their side!"

He stopped, and turned back, eyes wide with shock and anger.

"What?"

"I said I picked their side! You're not my brother!"

The CEO roared in anger, and lunged at the boy. Mokuba cried out, and threw his arms up, trying to protect himself.

He gasped, when he heard his brother's voice, crying out in pain. Lowering his arms, he saw the teen, sprawled on the floor, loathing etched in those blood red eyes.

Around him, was a shining silver sphere of light. His eye's widened, and he gaped in awe. Feeling a tingling around his throat, he glanced down, only to see the silver pendant of Ra materialize on the outside of his clothing.

Kaiba howled in rage.

"You traitor! I knew you'd never stay loyal to me! You've always been on their side!"

Mokuba trembled, but stayed standing tall, looking down at his older brother with disappointment and regret.

"I'd never betray Seto…but you're not Seto."

"Then get out!" he roared, leaping to his feet, the navy shirt swinging back, exposing his heaving tanned chest. Which was shaded black and grey…

Mokuba cried out in anguish, before the sphere he was in shot backwards. He looked up, to see his brothers arm straining against it.

He glared, and willed himself, furiously, to Yami's side.

The sphere lifted, and he drifted away, away from his brother. Tears slipped free, but he knew, this was no longer his home, as long as that man was no longer his brother.

* * *

How was that? Ok? Hopefully the next chapter is put up a little sooner. Sorry again about the wait. 


	11. Blown Away

Sorry. I'm getting a social life, I'm sorry! But I swear I'll finish the fics! smiles I have wonderful boyfriend, and job at a chemist now that keeps me busy. Sorry my lovelies, I'll try harder tho, I swear. 

aloneforevemore – lol, I love the imagery for that shot, the three darks, aint it great?

Nachzes Black-Rider – oh? Do you think the personality is Seth? If so, you're wrong!

Anukis-san – mmm, he wouldn't approve, but he's relinquished control. He has to fight to get it back now, should he choose too…

SoulStealerReigns4ever – ummm… then maybe I shouldn't tell you. Hmm, everything will get far worse before it gets better.

Leighc – lol, thanks heaps/cuddles/ sorry shy, didn't mean for it to be so nasty, but this one isn't much better. Sozz ma dear.

doodie head – lol, so do a few people right now, apparently. Thanks! I luv ya too!

Vampiress24 – nope, not Seth, tho, that was my original idea. Sorry this chap took so long…I have no reasonable excuse, I simply beg forgiveness.

silver-dagger-113 – Yes, yami does have to save him….hmm, will he tho… and yes! Technically, I am the voice of the evil one, but I bet I'm about as evil as some out there, so it could be millions of people! Lol

twilight – oh, yes, you're very right, thanks for pointing that out! Oops, nearly forgot I'm so distracted by other things. And yes, the three spirits were thrown out together, but we only got Yami's pov of it, as he was infront of the others. Sozz, maybe I should make that clearer… And yay! Cookies/munches cookies/

Noroi-Inu – lol! I love it! Swanky! Hehe, nifty!

Maris – must have some of your mums chicken soup! And wow, thanks heaps!

Disclaimer: pff, as if.

Chapter 11 – Blown away /snickers/

* * *

"Yami! Yami please, wake up!"

I groaned, wishing that the once adorable voice of my hikari would desist. It was bloody too early in the morning for this, and today I would point blank refuse to go 'anywhere'.

"I'm not going to school today Yugi," I muffled out, trying to cross my arms over my eyes.

I then heard Yugi's voice again, though, it sounded much more distressed. "Oh no! Kaiba's really hurt him!"

'_Kaiba?'_

I bolted upright so fast, my vision swam, my head near split, and I struggled not to be violently ill. Everything seemed to scream at me in pain, and I clutched at my head, letting out a small whimper.

I heard Yugi and Ryou, both crooning in my ear, and using soothing voices, as though that would help me now. All I wanted was to die, and I hated them immensely for not putting me out of my misery then and there.

It took nearly five minutes for the initial pain to subside, before I finally reigned it in completely, and dispersed it. My head and body felt numb afterwards, but damn, I'd rather 'everything' being numb than the pain I had felt before.

When at last I took in my surroundings, I realised we were back at the game shop, in my room, and Yugi and Ryou were both dirty, and tear stained.

"Yugi," I croaked, "are you alright?"

Yugi, through obvious distress, managed to give me a smile. "I'm ok Yami, are you better now?"

I groaned, and sat up, immediately regretting the movement, but following through with it none the less. "No, but give me time, I dunno, maybe another two-three millennia, and I'll be right as rain."

Ryou managed a chuckle. "Well, he took it better than Bakura and Marik."

I glanced up. "How did they take it?"

Ryou shrugged. "With a hell of a lot of screaming and complaining. You woke up and whimpered, they woke up and screamed the bloody house down."

I took a very small amount of satisfaction in that. "How did we get here?"

Yugi glanced at Ryou. "Well," he said slowly, "once you guys came crashing out of the house, unconscious, Joey, Tris and Otogi picked you up as best they could, and we came back here. Though, we brought someone along with us."

"Who?" I asked immediately, though secretly knowing the answer already.

"Mokuba."

I sighed, hanging my head. "Shit," I whispered.

Both of them heaved sighs of their own, before I forced myself to my feet. I looked at them both, and all manner of weakness disappeared from my face, as I stood tall, strong, proud. I was a Pharaoh, and now, my friends, my love, they were all in deep shit. Fuck how I felt, I had to be there for them now. ….Ra help me….

"Lets go," I said, resonating calm, so that they both smiled, and stood, heading out, down the stairs. I followed, trying hard to ignore to guilt and sorrow that devoured my soul.

"Pharaoh, I don't care if you pull the Blue Eyes sodding Dragon out of your ass, nothing, I repeat 'nothing', is getting us through this one."

"You're giving up."

"No, I'm not, I'm being realistic."

"No, you're giving up. We can beat this, together."

Bakura snorted in disbelief. "Pharaoh, he picked all three of us up, smashed us into a bloody wall, and threw us out the damn door. I fail to see where we actually got him, or bothered him. Do you think he was scared by our bleeding on his carpet?"

I waved him off impatiently. "So what would you prefer, waiting for him to come kill us? Our hikari's? Ryou?"

That shut him up, fast. The slightly devastated look on his face made me feel guilty, but I brushed it off, considering it necessary.

"Geeze Pharaoh, when you put it that way…"

"I scare the crap out of you, I know."

"Well," Mokuba's soft voice said, out of the corner in which he had been curled into a small, blonde haired ball, "what should we do? I want Seto back, and that is not Seto. Yami, who is it?"

I had been expecting this question for a while now, and no matter how much I tried to twist my mind around it, it was the truth, and I hated it, hated myself for it.

I sighed miserably, but only on the inside.

"It's his darkness. No, not Seth," I said quickly, seeing the looks of positive alarm that appeared on Bakura and Marik's faces, "someone else. Do you remember, Mokuba, during duelist kingdom, the dark Seto I versed?"

The boy nodded, astounding me with his strength and bravery that he could think so carefully and clearly at a time like this.

"Well, at the end of that duel, I banished that Darkness, sent it to the shadow realms, or so I thought. It's grasp on reality, on Seto, must have been stronger than I have ever anticipated, for it has obviously been buried in his subconscious since that day. I thought it was gone, but it has remained, and now, taken control of Seto."

"But how!" Mokuba persisted, a slight note of anxiety in his voice. "Seto's much stronger than that thing! How could it just… take over?"

I knew how; an act of great emotion, something that could cause the CEO to finally give in, release everything, thoughts and feelings, to another.

I looked the small boy in the eye, and finally, the grief, the guilt, broke through my visage, and Mokuba saw everything there. He looked into my eyes, and saw pain, saw hurt and betrayal, guilt and remorse, but more than anything else, he saw why, and it broke through his strength.

"You?" He choked out, staring at me in shock, horror. "But, how could it be you Yami? You…I thought you loved him!" He cried, almost accusingly, making me wince and look at the floor.

"I do…"I whispered, making everyone in the room that didn't know look at me in abstract shock and disbelief. In the corner, I could have sworn I heard Anzu burst into tears.

"Then why?" he asked, so softly, I nearly didn't hear it.

I couldn't answer him, because I had no answer that would justify it, no answer that would make everything all right, or make him see sense. I had no answer to give him that would make what I had done a sensible or even logical thing to do. So I shook my head.

I heard a muffled sound, and looked up, only to see that Mokuba had gotten up, and now stood before me. His eyes held anger, grief, fear, but now, most of all, a deep sense of betrayal. Then, faster than my eyes could even acknowledge, his hand came up, and he slapped me across the face, hard. My head snapped to the side, and I gazed at the wall in shock, before I slowly turned back to him. Everyone stared at us in astonishment, but I couldn't meet their gaze, only Mokuba's, and my eyes, they pleaded for forgiveness.

He wouldn't offer it though, and without a backward glance, he turned and walked off, down the hall.

I watched him go, before finally turning to Yugi.

"Please," I whispered, "go with him."

Yugi looked at me with un-ending pity, sympathy, and nodded, getting to his feet, Ryou, Anzu, Joey, Tristan and Serenity following, as they went after the young Kaiba.

I exhaled deeply, trying to re-mask my emotions.

"Okay," I said, as in control as I would ever be, "first thing is first, we have to get out of here."

Otogi looked at me sharply. "Why? Aren't we safe here?"

I shook my head. "No, because Kaiba knows this is where we will go, and if Kaiba knows, the darkness will too. His entire store of memories is at that evil's disposal, and he knows that the first place we will go is here. We must leave, as soon as possible."

"What do you think it will do?" Mai asked, calm, cool, collected as usual. Wait till I burst that bubble…

I grimaced. "Kill us all as swiftly as possible."

She paled dramatically. Malik, normally nicely tanned, was just as white. "Kill us?" he whispered, eyes wide.

I nodded grimly, aware that even if we survived all this, they'd kill me for it later. Bakura stood up, and paced, a habit he had taken up when he was restless.

"Then where do we go? Do you really think he'll attack us here Pharaoh?"

"Yes, I do, and soon. In fact, I want to leave now," I said, suddenly realizing just how much time had been wasted here. I stood up, and a wave of panic washed over me. My senses kicked in to gear, and alarm bells screamed at me in my head.

My eyes widened, and I gasped.

"Sweet Ra," I cried aloud, and that made both Marik and Bakura move faster than I ever have. Bakura vaulted down the hall, after the others, while Marik snatched up the hands of everyone else present, and ran with them after Bakura.

I concentrated, my sixth sense spreading through the house. The rooms above were empty, Grandpa was elsewhere today, and Bakura and Marik were ushering everyone out the door. I spread them further, reaching into the void of magick I possessed, and there, I saw it.

I bolted.

My feet carried me through the house, through the kitchen, and out the side door. The others were there, moving across the street, looking distracted, hassled and confused.

Then I felt it, so close, frighteningly close.

I screamed, "DOWN!" And the last thing I saw was Bakura gripping Ryou, Marik seizing onto Malik, and everyone else huddled together, before the world exploded around me.

* * *

Dark Seto

* * *

"Blasted little shit," I snarled, glaring with venom at the photo frame before me of my host and his brat of a brother. When my host learnt of the fact that his small sibling had indeed left my 'protection', then he would fight me back again, as most days his only reason for living was the boy. I was stronger now, stronger for having gained control, but should he realise too soon, I would lose control again, and he would be victorious, and I would lose everything.

"This is my one chance, and you will not fuck it up!" I cursed at the frame, before sending it flying, allowing it to hit the wall and shatter on impact. The site encouraged me, and within seconds, the living room was in pieces, as I vented my rage and fury on anything left whole or standing.

When finished, feeling that this was my first, though small, accomplishment, I paused, and let my thoughts sink into the memories, the past, of Seto Kaiba.

I had to kill the Pharaoh, and I was not so dramatic as to have his death drawn out, painful and pathetic, giving his friends a chance to come to his aid. No, I wanted them all dead, as quickly as possible, and with as much force as was necessary.

But how?...

I scanned the vast amount of memories accumulated in the teens mind, impressed at just how many one so young could have. I sought death, destruction, and was greeted with the images of his early child hood. Parents dead…families broken…new homes…new family…more pain…there!

I honed in on the distinct memory, of a weapon, a bomb.

It had been a product of his step father….Gozuboru…. and he had sworn that when he inherited the company, he would dismantle the secret factory that his step father prized and cherished.

Though Seto had indeed put the factory out of business, I was pleased that a few of these deadly weapons had survived, and were still functional when operated properly. I smirked, and withdrew from the mind of the emotionally broken teen.

I didn't even have to worry about killing the little brat Kaiba, as the Pharaohs lovely silver pendant would protect him, and thus enable me to kill them all, and keep what was needed for me to succeed.

* * *

Bakura's pov

* * *

The whole world seemed to cease in those few seconds. Everything paused, going still frame, and all I could see was red, the flames, the people around me, and the Pharaoh, as he was swallowed by the onslaught.

Then it hit fast forward.

I hit the ground, next to Marik, and as one, we threw our hands up, trying to form a shield of power to protect ourselves and our hikari's. Beneath me, Ryou screamed in fear, tears rolling down his cheeks.

Debris rained down on us, and the small plumes of heat that managed to puncture our shield scalded the flesh, weakening us. Then, in an instant, a new shield arose, and I was shocked to see Mokuba with his hands up, straining to keep it steady, his sphere of perfect light.

It felt like hours before it slowed, enough for us to raise ourselves up, enough for us to see the devastation inflicted upon what was once Yugi's home.

It was completely gone. Even through the smoke and the fire I could see that not even the foundations remained. When I looked at the ground, I could see small reminders that the Motou's had actually lived there; a smoldering piece of furniture here, a charred photograph of Yugi, Grandpa and the Pharaoh there.

Ryou reached up and clung to my chest, sobbing, looking at the fire with pure terror. I knew the thoughts that were running through his head. What if our home was next…

I couldn't help but think the same.

My ears still weren't functioning properly, whether from the blast of the shock, but at last I realised that it wasn't just Ryou crying, that it wasn't just Ryou that was filled with fear.

To my left was Marik, clutching Malik to him, reaffirming that he was there, that he was safe. Behind me, I could hear the others, taking stock of themselves, checking one another over for injuries, and then, worst of all, I could hear Yugi.

He was whimpering and sniffling, sobbing, a small, broken child. Otogi was holding him tightly, silent tears pouring down his cheeks as he tried to comfort his tiny lover. When I saw him, his violet eyes were greatly dilated, and full of tears that wouldn't stop flowing. His lips moved ceaselessly, speaking the same thing over and over again, until at last, I caught the name.

"Yami," I gasped, my own eyes widening, as I whipped my head back round. The flames seemed to sense my thoughts, and they reared up higher, threateningly.

With gentle but hurried care, I detached Ryou from me, though he begged that I not leave his side. I carried him to Malik, who held him close, both taking comfort in one another's safety, before both Marik and I raced toward the fire. I didn't know how long we had before people and police raced into the area, but I figured with something like this, it wasn't long.

I immediately began calling.

"Pharaoh!"

My eye's battled with the smoke, and the flames roared, plunging and withdrawing from my form, forcing us back.

"Yami! Yami!" My voice broke, and I coughed, before forcing it all back. He was our only hope, he was the Pharaoh, the mighty guardian of the shadow realm and duel monsters. Without him, we were all dead. ….fucking arrogant prick, would be just like him to die on us….

My eyes blazed, and I felt Marik turn to me, eyes wide, as shadow magick spilled forth. The flames shrank, their fierce heat diminishing rapidly beneath the force of my emotions and power. While the flames shrank, I stepped forward. It had been a long time since I had taken full use of all the shadow realm had to offer, and the power that thrummed through me was addictive. It spread out, and through it, I sought his presence.

/Yami/

/…..Bakura/

Relief flooded through me, though, I would never admit that to him, nor anyone else.

/Who else do you expect to save your sorry ass/

/Always a pleasure Bakura, really/

I couldn't help but smirk. He even made his mental voice sarcastic. /Where the fuck are you/

/Well, I was unconscious and being engulfed by a large ball of fire, last time I checked/

I scowled. /Now is not the time for your sarcasm Pharaoh, you want me to save your ass or not/

/Of course I bloody do/ he snapped. /Let me see if this helps/

I paused, wondering what an unconscious body could do when I felt a tug. It wasn't physical, yet it seemed to pull at my whole body, and I allowed it to lead me. When I stopped, I stood before a hand, just poking out from beneath rubble, pipes and cement.

I lifted it, as easy as though it were a pillow full of feathers, and cast it aside.

His face was pale, ashen, and smeared with soot. His right arm sat at a horrible angle to the rest of his body, and his clothing was charred, his hair singed. I couldn't imagine how he would have survived such a thing without magick, for the shield he would have conjured would have been quick, weak, enough only to save him from death.

I bent down, and lifted his limp body with as much care as I could muster, and turned, heading back toward Marik, who kept the flames at bay.

I stepped away from the last of the wreckage, and he gave away, the flames consuming anything left of the Motou home.

I could see people now, coming out of their houses with trepidation, clutching phones and dialing numbers. We couldn't stay here.

"Marik, get them up!" I commanded, and after a look of consideration, he obeyed, running to the bodies and ushering them up off the road. Prodding, poking, pushing, pulling, anything to make them move.

"Where are we going to go?" he asked, wrenching Otogi to his feet, and pushing him after the others.

"Any idea's?"

"Why do you think I asked you?"

I rolled my eyes, fast becoming irritated. I shifted the weight of the body in my arms, and ran through the link again.

/Pharaoh/

/Yes/

/We need a place to hide/

/Anyone offering their house/

/Not after seeing what's left of yours. …Sorry/

I felt the weight of what I'd said settle deeply with him, and the strain behind his thoughts was easily noticeable.

/What about the docks/

/The docks/

/Doesn't Marik still have storage space there/

/Pharaoh, if I never say it again, know I mean it now, you're a half dead genius/

/…thanks Bakura/

/Not a problem Pharaoh./

/Oh, and one more thing…/

/Yeah/

/Please take care of Yugi/

/Like I said, not a problem/

* * *

Begs for forgiveness at lateness. 


End file.
